A Hell New Life
by arxiel neaer
Summary: Sawada Tsukiyo just learned that his little brother, Tsuna, is involved with the dangerous world of mafia. Reborn sent her to Varia as not to disturb Tsuna's training. Will she be able to survive Varia? And something yet is to be revealed about her.BelxOC
1. Chapter 1 To Hell with Creepiness

I do not own KHR. In this fic, I only own Tsukiyo.

Blindfolded. Hands tied behind her back. Tape plastered over her mouth. Tsukiyo came back to her senses with that realization. She tried to loosen up the ropes holding her but it was futile.

The last time she was awake, she was taking a walk in the park to soothe her anger towards Reborn. They had an argument about her little brother, Tsuna. Then, she felt a strong hit behind causing her to lose consciousness.

"We're here," she heard a harsh baritone voice, followed by a halt of the humming sound of the car's engine. She heard the car's door slammed closed.

Someone took off her blindfold. "Sawada Tsukiyo-dono," a man in black formal suit said, not a smile on his face. "We're here in your new home. Don't worry. We're not going to hurt you." He was untying the ropes around her. Another man, in the same black suit, got out of the car from the driver's seat. Tsukiyo's heart was beating rapidly and she tried to look as calm as possible.

"Who are you people?" She managed to ask without stammering. And sure, she was afraid. She looked at her surroundings and noticed a gargantuan, creepy-looking castle nearby. They were in the middle of a thick forest and the skies were starting to darken. Her eyes were filled with panic and her body indulged in cold sweat.

The man escorted her out of the car without giving her an answer. He approached another man who had just finished making a call. She wanted to run at the given chance when the two are oblivious to her but they knew she couldn't. Night's going to fall soon and who, out of their minds, would dare to take the risk of running into a dark forest alone and without any idea where they are.

"I just informed Reborn-sama that we already reached the Varia Castle," the man holding the radio said.

Upon hearing the name of Reborn, a wave of fury was stirred inside Tsukiyo. She took a deep sharp breath but it was meaningless since it didn't even help calm her.

"Reborn!" Tsukiyo shouted, her eyes widened in fury. "What the hell is wrong with that baby? He tortures my poor little brother insisting that he must be trained to be worthy as being Vongola's tenth boss, brainwashes Tsuna's friend into that mafia whatever, and worst he always involves innocent people like mom!" Reborn had done it. Ever since he entered his little brother's life, and apparently her life, everything was at chaos. Their house was always bombarded with people – idiotic, scary, or both. For goodness' sake, she doesn't even know who they were or even if they were connected to her family. And the most astonishing part is that her mother doesn't seem to notice that their house was turned into a bar, except for the liquors and other vices. They were not even paying! For all she knew, they weren't that rich. Forget about the expenses, but the peacefulness of their house was deteriorating.

"Vooiii! Who dares disturb the Varia headquarters!" A defeaning voice boomed showing its owner. The guy has a long silver hair and Tsukiyo found his bangs splendid but his eyes were belittling. He was holding a long sword in his hand as if ready to attack anyone he sees. The men with Tsukiyo approached the silver-haired guy but left a promising distance between.

"We brought Ms. Tsukiyo Sawada with us. We believe that Reborn had informed you about her arrival."

"Oh, the wimpy kid's fucking sister?"

A vein popped behind Tsukiyo's head. _I'm gonna effin' kill this bastard if I hear my name again with such obscene words. _Tsukiyo tried to glare at him but failed at the ominous aura he was emitting. Instead, she stared at down at her red sneakers.

"We're leaving her in your care," the man who undid the ropes said. He faced Tsukiyo who just raised her head in disbelief, her gaze thrown upon the three of the people in there. "We need to get going, Sawada-dono. We hope to see you again."

The last sentence means something, at least, for Tsukiyo. She watched them get in the black car and drove off leaving her with the silver-haired guy_._ Tsukiyo was left in despair, mentally crying. She hugged herself to fight off the cold feeling the place was giving her. For the unexpected event's sake, she was wearing a sky blue shirt with double thin dark horizontal lines running below its chest part. The number 27 was also apparent on its upper left side, serving as an imprinted badge. She borrowed it from Tsuna, and paired it with light green baggy pants. It was boy's clothes alright but she's a hundred percent girl. Ok, maybe ninety percent, majorly feminine, eh? She's fond of boy's clothes. She found them way cooler than that of girl's. That's why she admires Gokudera's style. Simply awesome, except for the skulls though. She hates skulls. And Gokudera's a foe, for her.

"Ah, h-hello," Tsukiyo stammered, flashing a smile at the silver-haired guy. He gave her a glare, and the smile on Tsukiyo's face faded. She had dealt with people like these before. How? By ignoring them. Nonetheless, she was observing him. The guy was wearing a black trench coat. If Tsukiyo was given a chance, she would want to wear one, too. She saw a red insignia in the coat, written 'Vongola Varia'. She was still for a moment, thinking how can Reborn send her to Varia. Of course, she just learned about the mafia issues and knew just a little bit of it. And from eavesdropping, she had found out about Varia being a skilled assassinating group of the Vongola Family. Her life's nearing its end. _Lucky, am I not?_ She thought to herself disdainfully.

"Pick up your fucking baggage and let's get moving midget. That bastard Lussuria must have cooked dinner already. Tomorrow, you start your job." He turned his back against her and started to stride towards the castle.

She did not want to follow him but a howl from the woods sent a shiver to her whole being.

She quickly ran towards the man. "Wait, mister! Waiiittt!"

"Vooiii, shut up! You're too loud, midget!"

Look who's talking, she thought, letting pass the insult. It wasn't her fault she's a midget.

On the way, nobody tried to start a conversation so Tsukiyo made herself busy staring at the fortress ahead. Its tall unyielding walls and parapet made her heart throbbed faster than usual. Add it with its creepy silhouette as the night wrapped it. She wanted to run, really run far away and possibly never come back. Hey, where is she, really?

"Squalo," the silver-haired guy caught her attention. Tsukiyo stared at him, puzzled.

"The fucking name is Squalo, damn it!" Tsukiyo had her ears covered in no time but it was no use. His thunderous voice penetrated it.

Trying not to be rude, Tsukiyo gave a light smile. It would be a problem if she got him exasperated. She loved her life, right next to her family.

"A-ah, okay. My name is Tsukiyo. Sawada Tsukiyo."

"You don't know what you got yourself into, woman. You wouldn't even last for three days."

"Seriously, I don't have any idea of why I'm here and what I'm going to do here," she said honestly followed by a mild laugh, her hands rubbing the back of her head. _Damn you, Reborn. Once I get back in there, I'll throw you out of my house. _She was still cursing Reborn inside her head when she heard Squalo spoke again.

"Heh, you're like that Yamamoto kid. You're both annoying." He said not even facing her. Tsukiyo blinked. _Oh, yeah. Tsuna have met them before. His little brother's subordinates, right?_

Creepy. That was the only word running inside Tsukiyo's head. The castle itself was creepy. The people living in there were all creepy. Being there was creepy. The hell with creepiness, she wants to get out of there!

"I-i'm Sawada Tsukiyo." She was not even looking at them. Her gaze was focus on the blaze flickering in hearth at the corner of the room. Squalo wasn't around. He already introduced his self so he decided to better get lost. Xanxus, really in a bad mood (like he will ever be in a good mood), demanded his presence. Hell with his commands, Squalo wasn't even in the Varia headquarters. For who knows, he's out there in the thick forest, busy sharpening his skills in sword yielding or maybe, just maybe, balancing tops on his blade.

"Ciao!" A sing-song voice startled her. The appearance of the voice's owner startled her more. He had a brown hair on the other side, and green hair locks on the other, separated by a red spiky hair in between. He was wearing an open trench coat similar to Squalo's. And maybe to look cooler, he was wearing black shades. "My name is Lussuria. You can call me Lus-nee or nee-chan." If there was something missing from his introduction, it might have been a bone-crushing hug.

Her attention was caught again by an odd, eerie sound of laughter. "Ushishishi." The blonde guy, maybe about her age she thought, was holding an intricately designed knife; more like playing it and waiting for a chance to throw it at somebody. "Lussuria, the prince's presence must be announced," he said with a Cheshire grin not leaving his face.

Lussuria pouted. Tsukiyo can't even dare stare at his pouting face for ten seconds. It was a comical nightmare. "Moi, Bel-chan. Wouldn't it be better if you're the one to introduce yourself."

"Shishishi. No, princes don't do that. They have spokespersons to deal with it," he said. Lussuria complied anyway.

"Tsu-chan," he said causing her to twitch. He was really thinking they're really close despite minutes of meeting up. "This is Belphegor, also known as Prince the Ripper. If I'm not mistaken, he's around the same age with you." This Belphegor was wearing an open black jacket with a black striped violet shirt beneath. There were also bandages around his neck which Tsukiyo doubt as an injury. Fashion complex; she liked his style and somehow, it reminded her of Gokudera. But the tiara has to go. Shoo.

Tsukiyo almost fainted at the sight of a baby floating in the air. He was wearing a black hood matched with a cape producing an uncanny effect. She was attacking her mind about what they call that monster with a baby-like stature; however, the image of Reborn popped out her mind. Her lips curved into a disgusted smirk. _Who knows, they might be related._

"Marmon." That's all the baby said. Tsukiyo blinked again. So thrifty with words.

"What should I say, boss?" A punk with a big built said. He has a black spiky hair. Tsukiyo looked at him stupidly. When you introduce yourself do you need to ask the assistance of others? For kids, maybe but this punk seriously needs to start acting like his age.

The creepiness she felt a while ago was now departing. They seem harmless; add it with foolishness and comical entertainment. Maybe, she'd love to stay.

"Just say your name, trash!" A spiky-raven haired glared at the punk. He has buzz cuts on his sides.

Okay, too early for judgment for Tsukiyo. His murderous tone got all the creepiness back to her.

He was reclining in chair which made him an image of an impatient king. There was not a smile on his face and the scar on his left cheek made him even looked cantankerous. His face was resting on his knuckles and his legs were crossed.

"I'm Levi. The boss right ha-."

The man whom he called boss, stood up and punch Levi before he could even finish his sentence. He walked past Tsukiyo, not even looking at him. "I want to rest. Don't disturb my sleep, scums." He glared daggers at everyone in the room. Tsukiyo felt his spine hover with chill again.

"A-and that is?" Tsukiyo asked Lussuria since he was the seemingly-friendly type of all of them.

"Our boss, Xanxus. Isn't he cool, ne, Tsu-chan?" He winked at Tsukiyo.

Tsukiyo was left dumbfounded. She blinked once, then twice. Then she raised an eyebrow to Lussuria. _Seriously? He's more like the king of the Underworld. Wait, isn't that cool, really? Looks familiar and sounds familiar though. _She shrugged. Impossible, anyway.

"Ushishishi. Long brown hair. Hazel-colored eyes. Features almost similar to that Sawada kid. No doubt, she's really his sister. She looks as wimpy as he is." It was Belphegor.

"I don't have time for these. I'm going to look for missions that would earn me money," Marmon said and flew out of the room.

"She's a midget, too." Levi added to Bel's statement, looking down at her.

Yeah, she's just a hundred fifty five centimeters tall. But that did it. Tsukiyo had enough of this people insulting her. She has a small frame, all right, and it doesn't mean that she's not going to be offended if that feature of hers was sentenced to ridicule her. She was even drinking milk, courtesy of Yamamoto Takeshi. Darn, she hated him for his height.

"Who are you calling a midget, you bastards! You're all lunatics! Let me out of here! I don't have any business with crazy people like you! I am g- "

"Going to be Varia's maid, trash. Now, shut up. Next time my rest is disturbed, I'll kill you," Xanxus said sharply appearing all of a sudden, his guns seized by his hands and pointed at her. He had that death glare. Tsukiyo froze.

Xanxus glared at the remaining people at the room. "If you won't shut her up, I'm going to blow your skulls." And he left.

"Oh, right. Xanxus' room is just next door," Tsukiyo heard Lussuria said.

"Going to be Varia's maid," she repeated in a soft tone. "Whhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttt?" Everyone in the room jumped at her and covered her mouth though it might be late. They stared at the door waiting for the appearance of their furious boss glaring at them with his guns ready to shoot them. Thankfully, he seemed lazy to get back, and after five minutes of complete silence and stillness, all of them relaxed, giving out a sigh.

"You're going to get us killed with your mouth, Tsu-chan," Lussuria pouted.

"I'm sorry."

So what do you think?

Please review! They're appreciated. Even criticisms are welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

_I do not own KHR. Only Sawada Tsukiyo. _

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Tsukiyo didn't have a good night sleep. She was busy contemplating being in a place she doesn't know. Varia's headquarters. That was her only idea of where she was. And she was still thinking about being 'those' people's maid. Squalo's right. She might not even survive for the next three days. Plus, Xanxus deadly glare was still sending her the horror. She'd rather watch ghost movies than meet those eyes. Not like she's going to watch horror movies at all.

She glanced around her room. Not bad, for a maid. It's commodious. She has a king-size bed, a well-painted and nicely-decorated room. Why the hell was her room not like a maid's? It's not like she's complaining. It's even better than her room back in Namimori. Her eyes fell on the digital clock at the table near her bed. It was quarter to five in the morn. Seems like the gods of slumber failed to visit her. She decided to get up and walk towards the closet. She brought no clothes with her but Lussuria told her not to worry. They're a bunch of clothes in the closet in your room, she remembered him saying. She opened it and saw nothing but gothic-inspired maid uniforms. _Wtf._

She smelled herself. She's getting stinky. No choice. She grabbed a towel and proceeded to the bathroom. Besides, she doesn't know what the Varia would do if she will not oblige to be their maid. _Are they really that dangerous?_

"_Varia's the most skilled assassinating group for, who knows, around the world_." The voice of Tsuna echoed inside her mind. She shivered. _Assassinating group. Tch, Tsuna, you're a big boss now, huh?_

After a refreshing bath, she slipped into one black, long knee-length dress with a matching white headband and skirt apron, sleeves only reaching her elbow. Quite comfortable, she thought. But of course, boy's casual clothes are more comfortable.

She was about to walk out her door when she noticed a horde of knives coming to her direction. Out of reflex, she instantly slammed the door and cowered back to her room. "What the hell was that?" She asked herself. Her heart was beating frantically and so was her breath.

"Ushishishi." She heard Bel's laughter. "Not bad, Tsu-chan."

Tsukiyo opened the door to see the outside and noticed a bunch of knives already darted on her door. Bel was nowhere. Trying to calm herself, more like trying not to faint, she cautiously slipped out of her room expecting another set of knives coming towards her but nothing appeared. She was looking around hysterically, succumbed into paranoia that any second now, something or someone would get the life out of her. She crouched down the floor. She didn't want to die yet. It was a good idea, she thought, in order for Bel's knives not to hit her. She was about to pass a door, next to her room, when it opened and showed Squalo.

"Vooii! Midget, what are you being stealthy about?" All hair on Tsukiyo stood up. She wasn't only surprised and scared, her ears were also suffering for crying out loud!

"Please don't kill me! I was just... I was just…," She exclaimed, tone lowering as she turned to see Squalo only with a towel draped around his waist. Tsukiyo retracted her gaze at Squalo, but oh, she can' was a good thing; Squalo entered his room again and slammed the door to her face before he could see blood flowing out from her nose.

After fixing herself up, making sure that the sadistic prince wasn't a threat anymore, she proceeded to the kitchen, which Lussuria showed her, yesterday. Not surprisingly, Lussuria was already there, preparing breakfast.

"Excuse me, s-sir." That was awkward. Tsukiyo didn't even know what to address her new masters, especially this person. Would it be sir or ma'am?

"Lus~nee, tsu-chan. Call me Lus~nee." He said, he disliking the thought of being called 'sir'. It was obvious as showed by his gloomy face. "And drop the formalities; you can call us by our names. We don't mind. Except for Xan-chan though. Let's settle him with 'boss'."

_Xan-chan. _She was stopping herself from a derisive laughter.

"Got it, Luss-nee," Tsukiyo replied, flashing him a smile, quietly snickering at Lussuria's given nickname to their beloved boss. At least, someone's close to normal. And Lussuria's not emitting a homicidal aura like the other's do so she's good with him.

"Oh, we're so having a good time together!" He said approaching her and held her hands as if they were the best of girlfriends. It was uncomfortable for Tsukiyo. "Besides, I have a collection of beautiful dresses, Tsu-chan. The ones you saw on your closet are just a fragment of my set. I can't wait to have fun with you."

That sound perverted.

Tsukiyo's spirit wanted to escape her body. Unfortunately, her spirit and her body are inseparable, unless fate permitted her to die. _The time I got out of my room, I became a target for Bel's throwing knives game, Squalo just destroyed my eardrums and yes, he's darn hot, but now, this; I'm becoming someone's dress-up doll! Gawd, do you hate me? What else can make it worse? _

"Lus-nee, what's going to be my errands?" She asked, crestfallen from the revelation of what her life's going to be in that unfairytale-like castle.

"Nothing much, really," he replied. Tsukiyo raised an eyebrow as if telling him, "You're kidding, right?"

"Hmn. You are Varia's maid for the time being but we have already a lot of subordinates to do the chores in here. You're the only lady in the entire castle, Tsu-chan. I'm jealous," he snapped to his wishful thinking again.

"So I'm here for nothing?" _And being the only woman around- I knew it! I should have been born a boy!_

Xanxus entered the kitchen and everything went dead silent. However, Lussuria's a talkative one. He keeps on nagging Xanxus what he wants to eat.

"I want a wine to my room, now, trash." He said to Tsukiyo in a callous tone. "And be quick." That's all he said before retreating back to his room.

"Moi, he ignored me," Lussuria said in still a merry tone. "He's really awesome, ne, Tsu-chan?" Tsukiyo was left dumbfounded. _Crap, this is getting worser than ever. _If she was mentally crying a while ago, now, she wants to jump off a cliff and die.

"Not for nothing, Tsu-chan. If the others want you to do something, you should serve them."

"In other words, I'm the personal maid here," she recited. _What's that gotta do with 'nothing much'? _She thought, giving him a silent glare.

"Right." Lussuria smiled like there's no tomorrow. Since she came to the Varia Headquarters, she'd been trying to control herself not to faint for a hundred times now, and this will be surely going to her list.

Levi entered the kitchen glaring at her. "So, why are you not following Boss' commands?"

_The hell. Who are you? His wife? _For her, Levi wasn't scary at all – just a stupidly devoted to the boss.

"Hurry up and get this to his room, midget." He said, authoritatively, tossing her a bottle of wine. Tsukiyo failed to catch it, but Lussuria did, for her.

"Levi-chan, c'mon, don't bully Tsu-chan. She's just new here. She'll get use to everything soon," Lussuria said at him, gaily. Lussuria gave took a wineglass at some cabinet and took one brown circular tray. He gave it to Tsu-chan. "Here Tsu-chan. You might as well hurry up. Xan-chan is quite an impatient person."

_Are you even allowed to call him Xan-chan?_ "Y-yeah. Thanks," Tsukiyo replied, disappeared from their sight to where their boss is. She didn't even look at Levi. Oh, her impending death.

On her way to Xanxus' room, she heard an ominous cry for help. She gazed around but there was nothing. It was killing her. She's not a scaredy-cat, or so she thought. She started to walk faster but this time, she met a wall. She was sure this was the way to Xanxus' room, the same direction to where the living room is, which Squalo lead her yesterday. She turned back to the direction where she came from. Maybe, she needs to ask Lussuria about the routes around the castle. It's a big damned place; they wouldn't expect her to know everything at a short time, right?

She was walking at an endless hall. This is getting her nowhere. She may have been walking around for about an hour and there's no sign of anyone. She's getting tired. She can't find her way back to the kitchen. There were a number of doors and hallways, too. She heard a hissing sound and was tempted to look down at the ground. Her eyes widen in horror.

"Ahhhhhhhh! S-s-Snakesss!" She screamed at the top of her lungs and ran away as far as she could. She dropped everything she was holding and didn't even care about it being shattered to pieces.

"Ushishi. Job well done, Marmon. Watching other's fears is really pleasurable." It was Bel, stepping out from the shadows together with Marmon.

"No sweat, as long as I'm getting paid. Don't forget to transfer half of your account to mine."

"Half of my account? Ushishi. Who are you kidding? I only promised you a thousand euro."

"Then, it's game over." The grin on Bel's face vanished.

Tsukiyo noticed her surroundings changed drastically. Her eyes widen again. _I'm turning insane. I'm turning insane! No, Tsukiyo. Get a hold on yourself. _She came to a halt, and was heavily breathing.

"Tsu-chan, what's wrong?" It was Lussuria. She can't believe she's going to say this but –

"Luss-nee! I'm so glad to see you again!" She rushed at him and hugged him tightly.

"My, my, dear, what happened? You looked terrified."

"She's going to be terrified, all right. She didn't follow boss' orders. And worse, she dropped the glass and the wine bottle in front of boss' room," Levi said, popping out of nowhere. He faced Tsukiyo. "Are you trying to provoke the boss? How dare you, midget?"

Tsukiyo stood there looking like a dupe. "I was in front of Xanxus' room at that time?"

Right in tract, Marmon flew by and stopped before them. "It's no fun playing illusions on you, Tsukiyo. It was Bel's idea. He was paying me. It was for the sake of money." Being said that, he left. Tsukiyo, stoned to where she was standing, was being consoled by Lussuria. Xanxus came in the scene glaring at her.

"I-it wasn't my fault," Tsukiyo said in a low voice, not looking at him. He gave out a 'tch' and left. "Clean up the mess you made in front of my room, trash," he added.

Tsukiyo left and strode towards the direction of Xanxus' room. She was feeling gloomy. How dare they play with her? She has feelings, too. She knows how it feels to be miserable. She picked up the shattered fragments with her bare hands. She's not foolish to let the shards accidentally cut her hand anyway. She placed them on the circular tray. She sighed, and suddenly missing her family. Rather than being toyed like this, she preferred Lambo's presence add it up with Gokudera's retorts and Yamamoto's worry-free attitude.

"Voiiiii! What is this fucking mess all about?" Squalo said loud enough, reaching the maximum threshold of hearing, or even exceeded it. Tsukiyo, being surprised at his sudden appearance, clutched tightly the shard of glass that was still on her hand.

"Oi, what did you do to your hand?" When she looked at her hand was soaking with blood, and she felt the pain from it.

"I didn't do it. It was your fault for appearing all of a sudden!" Tsukiyo shouted at him. She was irritated. She had reached her temperamental mode. Squalo, surprised at her attitude, frowned.

"I told you, you don't know what you got into. You wouldn't even last for t- "

"Yes, yes, three days, was it?" She snapped back sarcastically. "It's not like I know from the very start that I'm gonna be your effin' maid! If I hadn't learned about Tsuna being the Vongola Family's boss or something, maybe I wasn't even sent here! But everyone of you, involved in this mafia, has been making his life a living hell!"

Squalo went silent. After which, Tsukiyo shook her head and looked at her like the usual Tsukiyo does – in fear. "Sorry. I just got swayed by my fury against Reborn. Sorry, sorry." She quickly picked up everything and ran towards the kitchen. Lussuria was still there and his face went worried when he saw her hands dripping with blood.

"You picked them up with bare hands, didn't you?" He asked holding out her hands. "But it shouldn't bled this much. Did you try to kill yourself?"

"I did not!" Tsukiyo instantly replied.

"Moi, Tsu-chan. Wait for me here, I'm going to get the first-aid kit, okay?" Tsukiyo nodded.

Tsukiyo proceeded to the sink to wash the wound when Belphegor entered the kitchen. She wanted to kill this guy, if she could. He's the root of her commotion for that day. He walked near her.

"Shishishi, what happened to your hand, Tsu-chan?" He asked, earning not a single reply. He was devoid of any attention from her, too. "Angry, aren't we?" Still, she did not give answers.

Unforeseen, Bel took her hands, and slowly cupped it to his face, making her face him.

"What are you doing?" Tsukiyo asked with a weird look; she was trying to draw back her hands but Bel's hand was holding it too tight.

"What? You want me to slap you?" Tsukiyo asked again, still trying to draw back her hands. "Let go."

"No."

"Let go."

He grinned. Tsukiyo sighed. A talk won't get this over. Tsukiyo's face suddenly lit up when a seemingly appropriate idea popped out her mind. She leaned closer to him, and since he was obviously taller than her, she looked up and blew strongly at his face causing his hair locks or rather his bangs, that are covering almost half of his face, to waver. It worked, Bel backed off. He had his right hand cover his face as if it was forbidden to do her act again.

Tsukiyo just stood there, enchanted. His eyes, those crystal-like blue eyes were to die for. Even though it was just for a moment, Tsukiyo felt she had glimpse of something in an endless azure abyss.

Lussuria entered the kitchen finding them in an akward silence.

"Your breath stinks, Tsu-chan," Bel muttered and took his exit. Tsukiyo, broke from the enthrallment, was offended and therefore, vexed. But even if she shouted back at him, it would be futile. He was gone. Besides, Xanxus might take some business of slaughtering her.

"Did he kiss you?" Lussuria asked, straightforward and even no doubt in his voice. He was wrapping her palm with bandage. Tsukiyo flushed red and yet he managed a frown. "I-It wasn't a kiss, Lus-nee. I just never knew he had beautiful eyes."

Lussuria smiled. "Cool and loyal, right?" Tsukiyo smiled back and nodded.

"You should have kissed him back then, Tsu-chan," he replied, a playful smile taking place on his face.

She blushed even more. "So you were there after all, Luss-nee?"

He shrugged. "I don't want to disturb the romantic ambiance, you know."

_Romantic, my ass._


	3. Chapter 3 How it All Began

_I do not own KHR. _

_So this chapter is mainly about how Tsukiyo learned about all the mafia business. Don't expect too much. Peace out._

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"Neh, Tsu-chan, why were you sent here in Varia?" It was Lussuria who asked that, fixing her long brown hair into two braids. They were in her room. Lussuria persisted about dressing her up but she strongly refused only leaving him to play with her hair.

Tsukiyo sighed, remembering the very day she learned about the mafia. She doesn't even know how many days have she been missing from home.

_._._._._.

_Tsukiyo was curious to what his little brother, Tsunayoshi, has been up to. Sometimes, the boy would go home late at night, almost lifeless. Just weeks ago, Tsuna and his friends had been missing for three days only to found out that they went to a camping and got lost. Then they disappeared again and reappeared after that unreasonable earthquake. What on earth was happening?_

_Tsukiyo wasn't as dense as her mom. She knew something weird was happening in their household since that baby Reborn showed up and introduced his self as a tutor. That was also the beginning when he saw Tsuna running only on his boxers and she didn't know if that was really a flame in his head. People had also been flocking at their house by then,too._

_Tsukiyo was on her way to the grocery that day. Her mom instructed her to buy some ingredients. They were going to have a feast for Tsuna and his friend's safe comeback. Yeah, so their house is going to be full of people again, huh? Since Reborn showed up the three-man house turned to everybody's home already. That troublesome Lambo and his big brother who showed up usually but will be gone after five minutes, Bianchi who was introduced as Reborn's lover, Ipin who mixed up in an unknown way, Fuuta and Dino at times, too. They have frequent visitors also, which was unusual. Haru, Kyoko, Gokudera, Yamamoto, seldom Hibari and other's whom Reborn would say family suddenly became the usual people she was seeing with her little brother._

_She was busy thinking those when she bumped into a lady. "Uhm, I'm sorry. I was just pondering about the people back home," she said, giving the lady a sheepish smile._

_The midnight blue-haired lady smiled back at her. She was dressed in a maroon knee length, formal suit. There was a star under her left eye and a yellow pacifier was tied around her neck. "My,my, aren't you Sawada Tsunayoshi's sister?" She asked. Tsukiyo noticed a blond man tagging behind her._

She nodded. "_Who are you? Yes, I'm Tsukiyo. Why do you know Tsuna?" _

"_I'm a friend. I'm Aria. I just gave him a trial last week. I'm just taking a walk around Namimori before I fly to Italy. Oh, by the way, this is Ganma." She motioned at the blond guy._

"_On a date?" Tsukiyo asked looking at Ganma. He blushed. Tsukiyomi also noticed some a faint red at the woman's cheeks._

"_Just kidding." Tsukiyo smiled. "Well then. I need to run some errands. Til we meet again, Aria-san." She waved and was about to slip past the woman when she held her shoulders._

"_Wait."_

_Tsukiyo looked at him quizzically._

"_You're curious, aren't you?"_

"_Of what?"_

"_Don't you want to know what Tsunayoshi is up to? Being his sister, I know you never failed to notice some changes in your little brother."_

"_Tsuna won't tell me anything. He usually talks to me when he was a kid. He's growing up, I guess."_

"_Then you don't want to know." The woman sighed. "Well, then. See you next time." The woman was about to take her pace again but Tsukiyo called back._

"_Wait! I want to know… what my little brother has been doing these past days. What are they hiding?" Her conduct showed hesitation but her eyes were certain. She really wanted to know, as if ready to accept everything that she would hear of._

_The woman smiled. "Wait," Ganma said with a protesting look in his face. "Will this be alright, boss? Won't this cause trouble for Reborn and the others?"_

_The woman glared at him. "She deserves to know, Ganma. She cares about her little brother. She wants to help him but there's nothing she can do because she doesn't know anything. If Reborn and the others would only let her know, then maybe, she can do even better. What about you, Ganma. What would you feel if I hid important matters from you despite knowing that I can trust you completely?"_

_Ganma was silent. "I understand, boss."_

_The woman faced Tsukiyo who was staring back at them in confusion. "Well, then, Tsukiyo, let's take a stroll."_

_Even though quite unsure, Tsukiyo followed. Her grocery errand will have to wait. She was more interested with the woman and Tsuna's case._

"_You know, Tsuna and his friends did me a favor back then."_

"_They did? How?" She asked giving her looks of disbelief. As far as she was concerned, Tsuna was the one being helped out by his friends._

" _Tsuna had built up a strong family, with the help of Reborn, of course."_

"_Family? Help from Reborn? What are you talking about?"_

_The woman faced her, placing her hands on her shoulders. Her gaze met Tsukiyo's. "I'll be saying this directly then."_

_Tsukiyo was nervous at the sudden seriousness on the woman's face. _

"_Sawada Tsunayoshi, your brother, is Vongola's tenth generation Boss. And mind you, Vongola is known to be the most powerful mafia family in the whole world."_

_Tsukiyo stared at her dumbly. "You expect me to believe that?"_

_The woman's hand took a tight grip on her shoulders. It hurts, she wanted to say but there was a certain solemnity in her eyes. No words were needed to say it. She was telling the truth. This is the kind of woman who would never lie, her mind was telling her. And if her guts said so, it was true. _

_But this was a drastic change of events, right? Tsuna getting involved with fights around the town, she might accept that; but Tsuna being a mob boss of the most powerful famiglia in the whole mafia world was something else._

"_That's all you need to know for now, Tsukiyo." The woman stared at her with concern. _

"_Yeah. I think that's enough. I might as well just ask Tsuna for some other details," Tsukiyo replied with a down-hearted voice. "Well, then, I'll excuse myself. Mom might be worried why it took me so long to buy a few ingredients. I'll get going then. Thanks for everything Aria-san." Tsukiyo waved her goodbye and ran towards the direction of the grocery store but Tsuna's story was still playing on her mind, having second thoughts if she would believe it or not._

__._._._._._._._

"_Ara, Tsu-chan, what took you so long?" Her mom asked with a worried face. _

_"Nothing, really. Mom, is Tsu-kun upstairs?"_

"_Yup, he just came with Reborn. Yama-kun and Haya-kun are upstairs, too."_

"_I see. Later." She proceeded upstairs and halted in front of Tsuna's room. She leaned over the door, with her ears in contact with it, trying to eavesdrop of what they are talking about. _

"_Reborn, I haven't heard of the Varia since our fight with Byakuran. I wonder how they are doing," she heard Tsuna said._

"_What do you think, dame-Tsuna?"_

"_Varia's the most skilled assassinating group for, who knows, around the world." Tsukiyo flinched. Tsuna's been dealing with this kind of people?_

"_Don't worry, tenth. They're doing fine!" Gokudera said._

"_Gokudera's right, Tsuna. They're strong." Yamamoto agreed._

"_Don't get so friendly with the tenth, baseball idiot!" Gokudera sneered. "You have to get through his right hand man first."_

"_That's mean, Gokudera," he said, followed by a slight laughter. "Shall I substitute for you some other time?"_

"_Are you provoking me, baseball idiot?"_

"_Hiie! Gokudera, Yamamoto, please don't fight."_

_Tsukiyo smiled. Tsuna is still Tsuna. She's glad he hasn't change to a heartless boss, like most in the movies she had seen. _

"_Too much for eavesdropping, Tsuki," Reborn said and opened the door letting her fall down inside Tsuna's room. It was a good thing that she had cushioned her head with his hands from falling or else, her nose might have been broken. But the fact that her fall hurts didn't change._

"_Hiiee, Reborn, what did you just do to Tsuki-nee? Wait, she's eavesdropping? You mean…" Tsuna stared at Tsukiyo. He was sweating real cold. _

"_Tsuna, Yamamoto, Gokudera. Would you leave me and Tsuki alone?"_

"_But Reborn!" Tsuna protested._

"_It's alright, Tsu-kun. I'll talk to you later," Tsuki said, her eyes not leaving Reborn._

_The three guys obliged to their request. Tsuna gazed anxiously at both of them before leaving his room._

"_Who exactly are you?" Tsukiyo started, her eyebrows almost meeting each other._

"_Aria must have told you."_

"_Reborn, answer my question!" Tsukiyo demanded. "What is this crap all about? Why Tsuna of all people? He's so young! Why did you involve him with this? He doesn't deserve it!"_

_Reborn took hold of Leon who just transformed into a gun. _

"_Did that chameleon just turned into a gun?" Tsukiyo asked, her eyes broadened in incredulity._

"_To see is to believe." Reborn pointed the gun at Tsukiyo._

"_You're gonna kill me?"_

"_No." He replied. "I just want to shut you up. You're too loud. Tsuna's already been through a lot than you have imagined. He has fought a lot of strong families alongside with his guardians."_

"_Why Tsu-kun? Why him of all people?" She wasn't hysterical, just a bit frantic. _

"_The ninth said so." Reborn replied._

"_The ninth, who?"_

"_Your grandfather, Timoteo."_

"_Grandpa did?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. A conclusion forming behind her mind that her grandfather was also involved with this mafia, even her father._

"_Besides Tsuna is unlike other mafia bosses."_

"_But he's too young!"_

"_That's why I'm here, his tutor. Don't you trust your brother, Tsuki? If you had seen him fight all along, your view of him might change."_

"_But you did not let us! Mom doesn't even know that he's risking his life every other day for that mafia! We're worrying about him but we have no idea of what he's been doing? It's so unfair! Tsuna knows he can tell me everything. He knows." Her voice getting softer._

"_Because Tsuna doesn't want you to worry. He's afraid that your lives might also be at stake," Reborn explained, for Tsuna, but that really was not his business. _

"_But worrying is inevitable! Arrgh, you're all too selfish!" Tsukiyo, rage with fury, stomped out of the room._

"_Mom, I'm going out for a walk!" She shouted and slammed the door. Tsuna and the others were in the living room when they heard Tsuki. They were about to run after her when Reborn showed up. _

"_Let her be, dame-Tsuna. She also said something about worrying is inevitable." _

_Tsuna did not seem to notice Reborn call someone with Leon who just transformed into a phone. __He was in despair, thinking of his protective sister's disposition. "Sorry, nee-chan."_

_Tsukiyo ran back at the town's park. It's a peaceful place, and it was what she needed the most for the time being. She really wanted to beat the hell our of Reborn. She was walking around aimlessly when she felt a strong blow behind. Then, everything went dark. Blindingly dark._

__._._._._._

"Are, so Reborn sent you here, Tsu-chan?"

Tsukiyo stared at Lussuria, which the latter took as a positive confirmation.

"Yeah, as not to get in the way of his plans," she said.

"By the way, I did mention that my little brother seems to be wondering on how Varia was doing, right?" She asked, but was not actually demanding for any answer. She's still feeling resentment against Reborn. He had no right to send her to everywhere he pleases to.

* * *

Review, review.

Yeah, actually, this is a BelxOC fic.

And it's not like I lack some confidence, but writing romance stories isn't really my forte. I might fail writing sweet moments. *smiles sheepishly*


	4. Chapter 4 Phone Calls, Phone Calls

_I do not own KHR. If I do, it will be messed up, big time. LOL_

* * *

Tsukiyo was dusting off the shelves in the living room when she heard the telephone rang. She picked it up only to be greeted by the same eerie laughter Bel was very much known about that.

"Oi, Bel, do you need something?" Tsuki asked. The awkward situation between them seemed to pass of as the days go by.

"Shishishi. You're wrong. This is Rasiel. Get Belphegor on the line." The voice on the other line commanded her. But to Tsukiyo, really how can she do that? Belphegor was calling his self to get him on the phone? What's going on with the world? Prank call, maybe. Belphegor was probably bored again and so this was his way to toy with her again. Well, at least, it was safer than being darted by knives, right?

"No." She put down the phone and picked it up when it rang again.

She was annoyed learning that it was the same voice – Belphegor's, as she thought.

"I'm serious. May I speak with your prince?" Tsukiyo's face flushed red upon hearing the last two words of from the other line. _Your prince_. Really, he was playing with her. And she won't let this 'teasing games' of his to lost her patience.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You called the Varia Mental Asylum, sir. There is no prince here. Only weird UMAs." And she's going to thank Gokudera for that term – _Unidentified Mysterious Animals. _Thinking that it was Bel who failed in a prankster call, Tsukiyo slammed the telephone back again to its place.

Tsukiyo was about to start her job but she heard the telephone rang again.

"Hello," she greeted, hoping this time, it wasn't the same caller.

Much to her dismay, it was the same voice – Rasiel, or maybe Belphegor as Tsukiyo thought. "Shishihi. You got attitude, woman. Please tell my brother I'm going to pay a visit these coming days."

Tsukiyo sighed. _Damn you, Bel. You're a failure at this type of pranks. You're just good at throwing knifes_. "Screw you. So long." She slammed the phone back again.

Then, the phone rang the fourth time. This time, Tsukiyo was really hell annoyed. She picked up the phone.

"Damn it, Bel, I'm not as foolish as you think! You're a failure! Ya heard? A failure! This won't work on me anymore!"

The other line was dead silent. Tsukiyo froze at the different voice on the other line.

"Is that you, Tsukiyo?"

"Oh, I'm sorry for shouting," she apologized with a slight laughter. "Ah, who's this?"

"It's Timoteo, your grandpa."

"Grandpa! Yes, it's me. Tsukiyo. How are you? My, it's been a long time. How's Italy?" _How dare you involve Tsuna with this mafia._ She wanted to add.

"What are you doing there?" Tsukiyo's poor ears were almost crying blood. He should have been Squalo's father.

"Reborn sent me here… after finding out that Tsuna's now next in line," she said bitterly.

The other line was silent. "Tsukiyo, I'm sorry. You see Ts- "

"Yeah, yeah. Tsuna's unlike other mafia bosses despite being too young," she interfered. "Leaving that aside, grandpa. Why did you call? You know I was here?"

"I'm supposed to talk with Xanxus. Is he there?"

_Hell would I care. _"I don't know. Maybe, he is."

"Tsukiyo, what are you doing there in Varia Headquarters?"

"Reborn sent me. I'm working here as a, err, m-maid," she replied following a slight laughter.

"What?" Another deafening interjection from her grandpa. Good thing, she was able to put a good distance between her beloved ears and the phone.

Tsukiyo saw Xanxus coming by. She flinched at the sight of the noxious man.

"Granpa, err, Hades, I mean, Xan-chan, no, I' mean boss is coming, I'll give the phone to him, alright. I need to get lost for the time being. Til next time, bye," she said and hold the phone out to Xanxus.

Xanxus glared at her, then the phone, and back to her. "The ninth called. He wishes to speak with you, boss. So, gotta go. Need to run some errands. See you around, boss!" She said as fast as she could and ran away as far as she can. Man, how she loved her life.

Tsukiyo was still running when she bumped to Belphegor.

"Hello, Tsu-chan. Seen some snakes?" He grinned.

"Ah, Rasiel, I mean B-"

"Did you just call me Rasiel?"

"Ha, yeah. I figured it was you a while ago. You're not so good with call pranks, aren't you, Bel?" Tsukiyo laughed quietly.

"What do you mean? I never called you," he seemingly frowned, Tsukiyo noticed, but there's no way she can confirm it with that hair locks covering his eyes.

"Seriously, prince. Demanding your presence to talk with yourself. You even said that you're gonna pay yourself a visit one of these days." Tsukiyo gave a wavering smile. _Pay yourself a visit, tch. Sure thing, sure thing._

Bel didn't even say any goodbyes before leaving her. And woah, surprisingly, no knives thrown at her this time.

Lussuria showed his self, looking strangely at Tsukiyo. "Lus-nee, what's wrong?"

"Tsukiyo, you know, Bel has a twin brother named Rasiel."

Tsukiyo raised an eyebrow. "Then that wasn't a prank call? And you were eavesdropping."

"I thought Belphegor was confessing to you," he said with a sing-song voice again which made her blush. She dismissed that thought successfully.

"But you know, this Rasiel is, supposedly, dead."

This time, Tsukiyo quivered, her face almost ran out of blood. "A call from the dead?"

He shrugged.

Lussuria continued. "Belphegor killed him, when they were still kids. At those times, I heard he killed his family,too. You know, at the age of eight, he joined Varia."

"What the hell?" Now she's getting the idea why Varia is an assassinating group, the best one at that, and an eight years old assassin was something not ordinary.

That night, Tsukiyo didn't know how to deal with what happened. The phone call from Bel's _dead_ brother and Bel killing his family heartlessly. Things are getting rougher.

* * *

Oh, someone was revived - Rasiel/Sil. Haha.

This chapter was short. Better expect the next ones to be the same, too.

Review, Review.


	5. Chapter 5 Tsuna's Predicament

I do not own KHR.

* * *

"Reborn, where exactly did you send Tsuki-nee? It's been four days since I last saw her. You didn't kill her, did you?" Tsuna asked, while resting his head on the small table in his room. He felt restless. Gokudera and Yamamoto were there, too, since they were doing their assignment. And he didn't know why but school didn't seem merciful to be easy, or was it really that hard for him?

"I think I did," Reborn replied, pokerfaced.

"Reborn!" Tsuna shouted in fury, glaring at him, wanting to strangle him. But common sense came to him that he won't stand a chance against his sadistic tutor.

"That's not funny kid, Tsuna's nee-san is nice." Yamamoto frowned, his joyous mood gone.

"She was even better than Bianchi-nee even though she's troublesome," Gokudera said, remembering his arguments with Tsukiyo. It was a proof of her 'family-first' principle since all their arguments involves Tsuna, Tsuna and Tsuna. How many times had he been hit with her fist anyway? Countless, he recalled.

"What was that, Hayato?" Bianchi came in, without her goggles, causing Gokudera to fall into a troublesome stomachache.

"That's what she got for accusing me," Reborn said. "I sent her to Italy." He gave Tsuna a blank expression, as if he was asking something that doesn't need to be mindful about.

"To Italy?" Tsuna asked; frowning.

"For vacation," he added.

"I don't believe you, Reborn. Besides, there was no single clothing that was missing from her room." Tsuna frowned even more.

"But your mom believed it so," Reborn said, pouting as if he was as innocent as he looked.

"I'm serious, Reborn!" Tsuna demanded. He knew if Reborn acted that way, something sure was amiss.

Reborn looked at him. "I sent her to Varia, to be their maid." He replied, his benign tone changed drastically to a firm one.

"To Varia?" The three of them shouted in unison.

"To be their maid?" Yamamoto blinked. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Tsuna fainted.

"Tsuna wants to know how they are doing, right?" Reborn again. "I did him a favor."

_._._._._.

Tsukiyo sneezed. _Am I starting to get colds? Arrgh, hate colds. Hate them, hate them._

She had done every single errand she had to do. She was free of doing anything and it wasn't like she was obliged to do something. She went outside the castle, where the garden lies. There was a fountain back there, too. She looked around the place and she wondered why such a headquarters in the middle of a thick forest.

Is she even in Japan? Beats her. She decided to take a walk towards the woods. It's not like she's going to get far, right?

Besides, she was deeply fond of the nature, and that includes the wild, though it scared her. Adding to that, it was still broad daylight, it's not like ghost can show their selves in such illuminative day, right? She wouldn't go that far anyway. She didn't want to get lost in such a creepy place. She'll just go to a little excursion. She convinced herself with that.

It was dead silent, except for jungle sounds, all right. But it felt refreshing. She always wanted to camp at places like these. If she only knew what Tsuna and the others have been doing, sigh.

_._._._._._._.

"Varia's headquarters are in the middle of nowhere in the Death Mountains in Italy," Reborn said, taking his mighty lotus position on top of Tsuna's brown spiky hair.

"Like a hidden fortress in the jungle," Yamamoto said in wonder. "That's awesome."

"Don't be so easily interested with that, baseball idiot. It's not a good place to be in," Gokudera said. "If it's the Death Mountain, there's no guarantee for someone to survive in there except for skilled hit men and the Varia, of course."

"There are a lot of dangerous creatures in there. Some not even discovered yet," Reborn added.

Tsuna nearly fainted. He knew much about his sister. Tsukiyo was always fond of the wild, though it scared her. She was fond of lions and tigers, too. She found it not only cool but cute and cuddly. That explains a pile of tiger and lion stuff toys in her room. The girl has a bad habit of lingering around, too. Needless to say, and to be lost.

"I hope she doesn't walk into the woods," he sighed. "Reborn, let's get Tsuki-nee out of there, right now!" He suddenly appealed to his apathetic tutor.

"Convince me."

_._._._._._._.

Tsukiyo had been going in circles. How can she be so stupid? She was lost. The castle was big, indeed, but the tall trees hid it from her sight. He heard an abrupt movement from behind. She turned around and saw the bushes moving. She instantly hid herself behind a tree. She was panicking. She was holding her breath even her heart which seems ready to get out of her anatomy.

The creature showed itself and Tsukiyo's eyes widened. It was a large white lion with minute black stripes on its back. But it wasn't as fierce as its eyes. It looks so weak. Tsukiyo, worried, ignoring his disposition of being the prey of the predator, ran towards it.

"You're not doing well. What happened to you?" She asked the creature as if it was going to talk to her. She patted its head.

The tiger snarled at her, as to say not to touch him.

"What's wrong? I'm not going to hur-" Before Tsukiyo could even finish her sentence, the creature leaped to her, letting her fall into the ground.

_It's going to eat me!_ Tsukiyo shouted at the back of her mind. She closed her eyes, her heart still beating rapidly, waiting for her end. But at least, she's done the tiger a favor, right?

_._._._._._._.

"My sister has a very big heart, Reborn! If she saw a hungry predator and it's in the verge of dying, she will probably feed herself to that carnivore, Reborn!"

"Kid, she's really that kind of person," Yamamoto agreed.

"That's why she's with Varia."

"It's Varia we're talking about Reborn!" Tsuna shouted.

"The Varia is with Vongola, dame-Tsuna. They won't harm your sister."

"But she's their maid! She's the one doing them a favor! They're heartless." Tsuna suddenly felt guilty on what he said about Varia. He's not the type of person who called other names behind their back.

"Then, gave the Varia headquarters a call," Reborn suggested and tossed Leon, who just turned to a phone, to Tsuna.

It was Lussuria who received the call. "Ciao. This is Lussuria speaking," the voice said gaily.

"H-hello, Lussuria-san," Tsuna started.

"Moi, it's Tsu-chan's brother," the voice on the other line said in a trying-hard-to-be-cute tone.

"I-is nee-san there? M-may I speak with her, p-please."

"Are, Tsuna-kun, you called at a bad time, Tsu-chan's gone missing. We're all looking for her."

"Hiiee! Nee-chan's missing?" Tsuna fainted. Reborn took the phone from Tsuna.

"What do you mean she's missing?" He inquired.

"We think she's gone to the woods. Oh, they also said that Xanxus' liger was missing. They thought it went to the woods, too."

"Xanxus' liger is in the woods, too, huh?" He asked, out loud, intending it for Tsuna to hear.

And so the brunet-haired kid heard that. "Reborn, you jerk! If something wrong happen to nee-chan, I'll…"

Reborn pointed his Leon gun to Tsuna. "You dare threaten me, dame-Tsuna."

"Hiee!"

_._._._._._._._.

At that moment, Tsukiyo thought it was her end. But the white creature got off her. When he opened her eyes, he saw Xanxus petting the creature.

"Good job finding Bester," Xanxus said, looking at her. He's not glaring but even when he was not, seems like he was. Tsukiyo, composing herself, got up and dust off her clothes. _It's him. Need to get away. Get away. Quick!_ Tsukiyo looked at her surroundings, trying to find a way back to the castle but it was futile. She didn't know what to do this time.

"So, err, boss, you seem to be fond of animals," Tsukiyo tried to throw a conversation.

"It's not being fond, scum. This is mine," he replied coldly.

"Shouldn't you release them to the wild?"

He glared at Tsukiyo. "I told you, it's mine."

"Nobody owns the wild, or those animals in it, and they're supposedly not to be kept as pets."

"I don't care. It's mine."

Tsukiyo, being a naturalist, became furious. "How dare you, Xanxus! Nobody owns the wild! They're one of a kind! They're extinct! They shouldn't be kept as pet and not for yourself! You're selfish! I hate you!"

_Uh-oh._ Tsukiyo realized her place and gazed at Xanxus, slowly with panic. The latter was glaring at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout at you, boss! Sorry!" She shouted and ran again away from Varia's boss. She didn't even consider what direction she was running into when she bumped to someone. Man, how she loved her life. Sarcastically speaking, mind that.

"Voooiii, midget!" It struck her whole being like a lightning. "Your little brother called a while ago."

Tsukiyo blinked. "He did?" Tears almost coming out from her eyes.

"Yeah, you just missed it. Poor you," he said, laughing thunderously.

She stared at him, blankly. But she felt something tugging her black maid uniform dress. She looked down and saw a white mink. She found it weird though the animal reminded her of Bel. Well, the mink's eyes were also covered with its seemingly looking bangs, nah, those are furs, right?

"Kyaaa!" She squealed. She picked up the white creature and hugged it, careful not to clutch it too much. ''It's so cute! I want it. It's so cute! Hey, Squalo, can I keep it. Can I? Can I?" She turned to him, eyes pleading. He sighed. "You'll allow me to, right?"

She heard Bel shishishi-ing. She turned to the direction where the laughter came from and saw him, a Cheshire grin plastered on his face.

"Bel, look what I've found," Tsukiyo held the mink, showing it to him. "It's cute, isn't it? I'm asking Squalo if I can keep it."

"You can't keep it," Bel said. Tsukiyo frowned at him.

"And why not?" She asked arrogantly. After being done that, the animal got out from her grasp and ran towards Bel. It sat on his shoulder.

"Because it's mine." That left Tsukiyo dumbfounded.

_This heartless bastard keeps a pet?_ "Let me have it, Bel. You're just going to use him as a target in that knife game of yours. You'll kill it in no time. Let me have it."

"No," he instantly replied.

"Please," she pleaded.

"You can have Lussuria's peacock," Bel said instead.

"What? Lussuria's keeping a peacock?" Tsukiyo raised an eyebrow.

"Suits him, doesn't it?" It was Squalo.

They heard footsteps coming and saw Xanxus. Beside him was his pet. Tsukiyo wanted to protest at that. _Pet? No way._

Now that Tsukiyo had scrutinized it, it was a liger, and perfect combination at that. She can't be wrong. After all, this is one her greatest interest – the wild, that is.

"That's a liger?" Tsukiyo yelled, pointing a finger at the animal. "I really hate you! You're heartless! You can't go against nature and cross-breed two different animals!"

"Shishishi. You got guts, Tsu-chan." It was Belphegor's statement that hit her again to the reality of all realities.

"If Levi was here, the punk will kill you." It was Squalo, smirking, amused with her sudden tantrums. "Good thing, he and Marmon went to a mission."

Xanxus took out his guns and pointed it to Squalo, or rather Tsukiyo who was trying to hide herself behind him.

"Bring that trash here, scum!" He ordered to Squalo.

"Oi, Xanxus, her bratty little brother just called saying that if something happened to her sister, he wi- "

"I don't give a damn to whatever that trash says but if he will come here to Italy for the sake of her beloved sister, then the more I reason I should kill her right? If that trash wants a fight, that is."

Tsukiyo blinked. "Oh, so I'm in Italy." This time, she fainted.

* * *

Hahaha. After five chapters, she learned that she was in Italy.

By the way, there were no facts regarding Varia Headquarters being in the Death Mountains. I made that up.

Also, regarding Xanxus' box animal, Bester, I'm not really sure if it was a liger, or simply a lion. I heard it can swap from lion or tiger and vice versa, though.

I feel like the characters will undergo some OOC-ness soon.


	6. Chapter 6 Sudden Visits

I do not own KHR.

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* * *

**

Timoteo, the Vongola's Ninth boss, had his hands behind him intertwined as he stared at the azure sky from his office's window when Iemitsu Sawada entered his office.

"Why did you summon me, Ninth?" He greeted, looking seriously at the 70-year-old man. It was a sudden call. Dealing with mafia means dealing with 'sudden' events but this one was different since he had weightfully insisted his presence. He should have been training with Basil in the CEDEF's headquarters by then.

Timoteo gave him a hesitant look which Iemitsu took as a bad portent. "Iemitsu, remind me again why we did not let Tsukiyo be Vongola's tenth boss. Why did we choose Tsunayoshi?" He asked, as if he doesn't know the reason. Only both of them know the real grounds.

"Why are you asking me this, ninth?" Iemitsu looked at him, confused. It wasn't the time to be asking for answers to an already learnt question.

"Iemitsu, did you know that you're daughter. Well, she…," Timoteo paused, judging if he should say that his daughter was nearer than he expected.

"What did my daughter do?" He heard, breaking his thoughtful jam.

He sighed, and turned to him, unemotional. "She's here in Italy."

Iemitsu's brows wrinkled. "She is? Now, that's heart-warming, isn't it? An unexpected visit from my lovely daughter… where is he?" He asked calmly, with a plan to meet her right away after knowing her whereabouts. The fatherly feeling inside him was almost driving him to great commotion. God knows how much he loves his family and he doesn't want the mafia to interfere with their peaceful life. Once he found her, he's going to tell Tsukiyo to go back to Japan. But before that, he needs to know what Tsukiyo was doing in Italy. She doesn't know about the mafia. Rather, she's not supposed to know about the mafia, he should have said.

"She's with Varia," came the impassive reply from the ninth.

"I see. I'm off to see her then," he said and took his steps back to the exit when a sudden realization hit him. "She's with what?" He exclaimed, bringing down his hands violently on the ninth's mahogany table. "Why is she with them?" His voice was getting louder at his words which broke his calm disposition.

"It seems that Tsukiyo learned about Tsunayoshi being the tenth Vongola boss. She was outraged by it and Reborn decided to send her to them – Varia," Timoteo answered coolly, ignoring the belligerent act of his external advisor.

"But why Varia? Of all places, the Death Mountains?" Iemitsu's face was not devoid of agony. He knew the place, it wasn't friendly.

"I was as shocked as you, too, Iemitsu. But that, you should ask Reborn," remarked Timoteo, looking at him empathically.

Iemitsu's shoulders suddenly felt heavy. He had trusted Reborn his family's protection. Is he trying to get his precious daughter killed? "I'm going to get her," Iemitsu declared, storming out of the room but before he could take his exit, Timoteo spoke.

"Xanxus is there, Iemitsu."

He turned to see him. "I know but we're speaking about the Death Mountains here, ninth. You can't trust that place. It's not like I distrust the Varia but the life of my daughter is the one at stake here. I know you do understand me."

"I understand very well. Shall we pay them a visit then?" The ninth said, breaking out a diminutive smile.

Iemitsu looked at him, judging if what he heard was real.

"I'm going with you. I want to see how Xanxus is doing."

_._._._._

Tsukiyo woke up in her room in the Varia Headquarters; of course, she wished she woke up in her divine room back in Namimori, and found that everything was just a horrible dream. But it's just so heart-wrecking to be hit by reality. It was past three in the afternoon, read the digital clock beside her bed. Oh, yeah, she was in Italy, right? Sigh. More realities hit her. Screw life.

She got off her bed, still wearing that gothic maid dress, and got out of her room. She proceeded to the kitchen, deciding that she wanted to eat. She was getting hungry. There might be something edible in there. She'll settle with fruits if there were.

She didn't get a glimpse on the Varia members or their subordinates around. It was quiet – frightfully. She took an apple and proceeded to the living room. They might be there talking or hanging around; unfortunately, there was not a single entity in the room. Could they be in their respective rooms? Siesta time, maybe.

She set off again to the enormous garden behind the castle, and sat on the bench provided near the fountain.

_Right. So I'm in Italy now. Now what?_ She closed her eyes, feeling herself. _I'm still sane._ She meditated deeper. _I'm still alive. _She took a deep breath. _Metaphorically, I'm dead. _She sighed the second time, but deeper. She opened her eyes. "I'm surprised on how I can hold on to myself." She smiled at that self-praise. It was worth it, she thought. _I'm risking my life being their, err, toy. Hell, I should be labeled a hero. Nah, legend sounds cooler._

She stared at the cloud-tainted cobalt sky. The sun was still up and it seemed to sing her a lullaby. She yawned. _Why did I even get out of my bed?_

She saw a figure on her peripheral vision causing her to turn her gaze at that direction. Whatever she has seen made her stood up, and if ever she wanted to escape, it was useless. The atmosphere suddenly felt intense and she can't move an inch.

"B-belphegor," she uttered softly, her breath running out.

"Shishishi. No, I'm Rasiel. Nice to meet you, the maid who slammed the phone while I was asking for my brother on the other line. Was that too much to ask for?"

If Rasiel was indeed real, then Tsukiyo would say they were the exact replica of each other. But he was. She was certain of that. She saw a grin was on his face. She thought resentfully of him after feeling that her consciousness were drifting away.

_._._._._._._

"How long has she been there?" Iemitsu asked. There were traveling by one of Vongola's helicopter, and an hour by now, they will be at Varia's headquarters.

"I have no idea, Iemitsu," answered the Ninth.

The look on Iemitsu's face couldn't be painted "How did you know that she was there?"

"I called the Varia headquarters, and fortunately, she was the one who answered it," he said, remembering her voice shouting at the other line. "She sounded fine although I can sense she's really irate about Tsuna's case."

Iemitsu nodded in agreement, not like there's something to agree about. Tsukiyo was that kind of person; she would dare fight her family's sake even though it means jeopardy to her. How did she call it again – 'family-first principle', wasn't it? She was a stubborn kid, and always will be, he knew. And if ever he's going to see his daughter, the girl would probably scold her for everything because he was also the one of the people in favor of Tsuna being Vongola Decimo.

"Iemitsu." Timoteo caught his attention. "What will you say if Tsukiyo asked why was she not chosen instead? Why not her be the Vongola Decimo despite the same blood flowing in their veins?"

Iemitsu sighed. "I knew this would happen but I did not expect it to be so early." He paused. "If she asks that, I might as well tell her the truth."

Timoteo looked at him, scrutinizing his statement. "And what exactly is this truth?"

"That she's not worthy to be the tenth." The immediate reply came unfeeling, but Iemitsu's face reflected gloom.

"Rude as it is?"

"Tsukiyo will understand. I am sure of that. She's that kind of person. I admire my daughter's sense of adaptation in every situation she is caught in. The mafia isn't an exception."

"This is Tsuna we're talking about, Iemitsu. You know that your son is still stubbornly refusing to be the Decimo despite being through a lot of difficulties. The Vongola needs them – both of your children. If Tsuna isn't willing to be, Tsukiyo will take his place, and so the other way around."

"There will be no problem with Tsuna. He will accept it, for his family's sake. He will come to understand soon. It is him we needed, not Tsukiyo."

"But it's a different story if Tsukiyo learned Tsuna's rejection of being the Tenth and we're still pushing it on him." Timoteo argued, as if pushing Iemitsu to an abrupt decision of fate.

Iemitsu sighed, as if to haul something deep in his heart. "She will take my position."

Timoteo gave him a surprising look. If those eyes were reflecting disagreement or confusion, Iemitsu didn't know but this is only what he can do for Tsukiyo. "She will be the Vongola Tenth's external advisor. That's the only solution I can consider. There's nothing she can do about Tsuna. She might accept it if she can protect her little brother in secure proximity and that is being his advisor."

"What does the girl know about mafia?" Timoteo questioned, as if antagonizing him even more. Iemitsu was quite confounded by the uncanny conversation Timoteo was giving him.

"I told you, ninth. She's a fast settler."

_._._._._._._._.

Belphegor was reclining comfortably on his bed, throwing knives at the ceiling of his room. Another one of his missionless day. He wanted to try again his aiming skills at Tsukiyo but unfortunately, the girl was taking her unnecessary respite resulting from knowing that she's actually in Italy. My, he did not know that. He did not know that Tsukiyo wasn't aware of where she was.

He didn't know why but something was urging him to peek outside his window. He was a lazy person and never in his entire life did his intuition told him to walk over to that windowpane as if it's saying: "Hey, hey, come here and take a look outside. Something interesting is going down there."

Nevertheless, he gave into his premonition and peered outside. He was expecting to see nothing but the fountain and an enormous grass lawn, but that wasn't the case. Tsukiyo was sleeping conveniently in a fetal position down the cold pavement ground near the fountain. Not really convenient. She was not alone though and that made him thought otherwise to what happened to her. There were two more guys in there.

Belphegor was quite surprised at the unexpected visit but a grin drew itself on his face. Why, a missionless day might turn out to be chaotic and that was how he liked it. But still, he thought, Tsukiyo didn't really look good lying in there.

* * *

Dear readers, this story won't go exactly as what you had think it would. I'll tell you, the romance isn't actually the main concern here but also family ties and bonds. In other words, the romance between Belphegor and Tsukiyo will progress slowly. (Seriously, there are animes like this. haha.) Peace out.

Review. Criticisms. Are. Appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7 Tsukiyo's Gone Missing

I do not own KHR.

* * *

Belphegor, as the genius he proclaimed he is, didn't need to follow where Rasiel and Fran were headed, carrying unconscious Tsukiyo. He already knew how to found them; after all, he successfully slipped a detectable chip into Tsukiyo's clothes. Who can explain how can his knives find her even if she hides deliberately from all corners of the headquarters? And who were they kidding, he's Belphegor, entitled Prince the Ripper, pastimes includes bullying, to make it more fit his description: he likes to toy with other people's lives. Messing with them, not really. All for fun, that was his motive. Nobody loves boredom anyway.

Now, he was contemplating whether he would report what happened to their oh-so-lovely servant to his higher ups namely Squalo and Xanxus, and no, Levi doesn't count to the people he looks up to no matter how many times he claims that he was their boss' right hand man.

He got out of his room and proceeded to see Lussuria in the kitchen. Lussuria, indeed, exist in his little 'garden' wearing his pink flowery apron. Bel refuse to admit he had seen sparkles around him, it was nauseating, a living nightmare. And he suddenly remembered a smiling Tsukiyo in that attire, it suits her well compared to Lussuria and she deserves the glistening even better. He shook his head, now, why did Tsukiyo enter his mind like that.

"Lussuria, I need to tell you something," he informed his presence, breaking Lussuria's unpleasant solo concert, and I mean solo.

"Moi, Bel-chan. What is it? Are you going to confess your undying love for m-"

"No," he replied with flying daggers to Lussuria before he could even finish his statement (even though it was just a letter away) yet he successfully evaded the attack in panic.

"That was uncalled for, Bel-chan." He pouted. "What are you going to say anyway?"

"Shishishi. You've gotten so annoying, Lussuria. Just going to say that you precious Tsukiyo's been kidnapped," he replied with a grin, his tone like it was nothing.

Lussuria was dead silent, then a puckered brow penciled in his face. Did Belphegor really think that when he told somebody was kidnapped and he was grinning ridiculously, they would believe him? He wanted to say that. "Now, I know why Tsu-chan doesn't like you at all."

That hit him somehow, but he already knew that. Tsukiyo didn't like him because she had been playing countless pranks on her, however, it being said by someone made him feel, a little, just a little guilty.

"I'm not kidding," he said ignoring the feeling stirring inside him.

Lussuria was about to say something when they heard the sound of helicopter hovering above their quarters.

"We got visitors," Lussuria said, forgetting what Bel said. Bel was about to go directly to Squalo, and luck just tapped his back when his commandant entered the kitchen.

"Voooi! Lussuria, the Ninth had paid as a visit, make sure the food's edible. If possible, just pour some poison into it." He barked his words lethal. "I'm going to the brat's sister now. Seems like the Ninth brought her father with him. Tsukiyo might be gone from our quarters tonight."

"Shishishi, she's not even a kilometer radius near this castle." He answered in an air of arrogance. And yet, a feeling of relief suddenly got into him. Was he thankful Tsukiyo was not around to be fetched by her father? He tossed that feeling around, however, unsuccessful.

Squalo glowered at him. "Oh, the prince knows something," he remarked sarcastically.

Bel grinned. "Tsukiyo's gone. She was kidnapped."

This time, Xanxus entered the scene hearing what Belphegor said. The former glared at the latter, as if saying he'd in danger if he was doing this again for his 'just for fun' operations.

Bel, able to decipher Xanxus' glare, replied. "I am not kidding."

"Then why are you telling us this just now?" Squalo snarled at him, grabbing the collar of his jacket.

"Because I can tell you where she might be, at this time."

"Tell us, who kidnapped her." It was the stern and cold voice of Xanxus.

Belphegor didn't answer right away. "You have met them, in the future." Every gaze in that room stormed to him. Their memories of the ten-year-later quandary of Vongola had been granted to them after that uncalled earthquake. And here was Belphegor disturbing them about these memories again.

"Just answer us directly," Lussuria said, his face in plain confusion and curiosity.

"How do we call again that replacement of Marmon? The one I forced to wear a frog hat," he said in pretense as if he didn't know the guy's name. How could he forget him of all people, the one whom he had taken interest to use as a dartboard for his beloved knives. Adding to his annoyance the guy's air of nonchalance.

Squalo's frown even deepened. "You mean that apathetic frog hat-wearing Fran?"

Bel nodded. "He was not alone though."

"Then who's the other one?" Lussuria asked, his eyebrows almost connected. Xanxus wasn't taking part in the talk. He just listened.

"My beloved brother," he replied. There was no grin in his face.

All of them stared at Belphegor.

"Rasiel was the name of your twin, right?" Squalo asked.

"Got them right, commandant."

Timoteo and Iemitsu were staring at Varia's headquarters as if gauging some disclosing attacks but nothing came except an unsmiling Xanxus. It wasn't unusual to receive such greetings from the boss of Vongola Varia but seeing Xanxus in front of them still feels atypical.

"It seems like you know the reason why we are here, Xanxus," Timoteo started formally.

"And it seems like you came at the wrong time, or rather the exact time," he replied.

Iemitsu sensed something wrong. "Where is she?"

"To where my guardians are heading."

"Damn you!" Iemitsu was about to stride towards him and give him a fatal lesson but Timoteo stopped him.

"What do you mean, Xanxus?"

"She was kidnapped."

"By who?" Iemitsu asked, giving Xanxus an arduous glare, but the latter did not reply.

"To where exactly are they heading, Xanxus?" Iemitsu asked again, waiting impatiently for an answer. He wasn't reckless, but this is her daughter's circumstance and he's her father, and there's no way he couldn't be reckless. Who kidnapped her daughter? He will learn soon after he found her.

At that time, smoke invaded Xanxus and when it cleared, it showed Marmon floating in the air. "That I can't answer Vongola's External Advisor, Iemitsu Sawada. Those were the only details given to me."

Timoteo heaved out a deep breath. "Of course, Xanxus won't face us directly. That's why it felt unusual."

Iemitsu's face was crestfallen and a wave of fury was circulating inside him. He was cursing inside, angry at the current incident that had befallen to his daughter.

Lussuria came into the conversation, her cheerful disposition dropped. "It won't be bad to invite you over inside the castle for a drink, wouldn't it?"

Timoteo nodded, placing his hand on his external advisor's shoulder signaling his empathy. "Trust them with your daughter's safety, Iemitsu. Xanxus sweared once and he never breaks his promises."

Tsukiyo found herself sprawled in a cold concrete floor in a fetal position. When she looked at her surroundings, it seems like she was inside a small prison. She got up in a sitting position, still having the cold feeling the floor transmitted to her. Don't even her abductors think about her health and sleeping convenience? She frowned. "Where the hell am I?" She asked herself, just audible to someone stepping in from the shadows. The sight of the person made her rose from her feet.

"Shishishi. Our little princess has woken up." It was Rasiel, giving her that Cheshire grin which reminded her of Belphegor. Then, she suddenly remembered Bel's eyes, making her wonder if the both of them might have the same attribute. She shook her head. Now's not the time for that.

"What do you need from me?" Concealing her nervousness with an unyielding look in her face.

"Brilliant question," he commented. "You're exactly what we need, Tsukiyo."

Nervousness replaced by stupefies. For Tsukiyo, it was a lame answer. Sure, she got involved with this mafia but it was by accident. One more thing, what the hell does she know about the mafia? Her little brother seems to be more intelligible about it. Now, why would these people kidnap her and tell her they must have her. She frowned even more.

"Just kidding," Rasiel followed, letting out a blasphemous laughter. Now, she felt insulted, and gave him a murderous glare.

_Bastard! Die and go to hell! You and Bel are really alike! You're really brothers. _She was gritting her teeth while cursing them both mentally.

"Then why are you doing this?" Tsukiyo asked in a cold tone, her glare not leaving him.

"Chill, will ya, _principessa_?"

Tsukiyo turned her back against him, more like hunkered down the ground, her back against him. She just knew it. Both Rasiel and Belphegor are the most obnoxious people she had ever met. They just like messing around with other people's lives. Talking with these two will never go somewhere. In other words, pointless. If he's not going to tell her something sensible, fine, let's just keep each other's mouth shut. And no, this kind of people doesn't deserve fear. She suddenly remembered a horde of knives lunging to her, courtesy of Belphegor. _They still do._ She said to herself, crying in the insides of her mind.

"Charming," she heard him remarked. _Whatever._

Rasiel heaved his self inside the cell and squatted behind her. He leaned his back to hers which made Tsukiyo's face bewildered. She gave Rasiel the 'lean.' She doesn't know why but it seems like the guy needs company. No. Rather, it was her who needs company. She was feeling all alone in Varia. But then again, that was what she was feeling even back in Japan.

"What on earth are you doing?" She asked, trying to glimpse at him on her peripheral vision, raising an eyebrow to no one in particular.

He did not reply to her question, instead he threw another question to her. "Tsukiyo Sawada, have you heard much about me?"

_I can feel a tsunami of narcissism coming_. "Nothing much, but I think, enough."

He laughed that irritating, spine-chilling signature life of his and Bel's. "Let me guess. Me, being killed by Belphegor, and that's all."

"Bravo, Rasiel. Bravo." She mocked, clapping her hands gently. It was true anyway, right? _Right._

"I'm honored to hear my name being said by you, princess." Tsukiyo sighed, not seeing the smile on his face.

_Oh, are we playing some sort of fairy-tale in here? _She thought sarcastically.

"What do you know about the Vongola?" Came a sudden change of question.

But wait. Vongola? Where did she hear that again? "What's Vongola again?"

Rasiel gave out a slight laughter, one different from his signature laughter that goes 'shishishi'. It was a pleasant one. Not annoying, not irritating, not spine-chilling, just pleasant, and nearly friendly.

"Idiot."

That hurt her. It struck her pride. She sighed. It's not like she haven't experience further oppression, she consoled herself.

"It's your little brother's mafia family named Vongola."

Right. It was when she met Aria that she learned about Vongola. Aria told her that Tsunayoshi was soon to be Vongola's Tenth boss and something about Vongola being one of the strongest mafia families. And that's the start of all her chaotic living in Italy, specifically Varia Headquarters, and now this – being kidnapped.

"Any hour by now, your milords are going to fetch you here."

"How'd you know?" Tsukiyo asked in skepticism, twitched at how Rasiel addressed the Varia.

Rasiel turned Tsukiyo to face him. "What?" She asked surprised with the closeness. She wouldn't like to blush but can she do against it. She can't control that.

He raised his hands towards her, then at the back of her neck. He leaned closer, as if to hug her. Tsukiyo's heart was beating rapidly, and no, it wasn't from any feeling called love, or so she was insisting. She felt his breath on her hair, his warmth to hers.

"What the hell are you doing? That's sexual harassment, damn it!" She pushed him.

Rasiel grinned. "Sure, it wasn't."

"Then how do you explain that...,"her voice going lower as Rasiel showed her a mini chip which he implied he took from her dress.

"Belphegor's," he said. "Not much of a stalker, isn't he?"

Tsukiyo stared at the chip, unblinking, dumbfounded. That answer how Bel's knives keep on finding her. _That sadistic whiz._

"Rasiel-senpai!" It was a call from a monotonous voice. Tsukiyo turned to see an apathetic-looking cyan-haired boy just around her age. "There you are fake prince no.2."

"That's Fran." Rasiel disclosed the cyan-haired guy's identity. He looked at the dull-looking Fran. "Shishishi. You damned annoying prat, who are you calling fake prince and why am I number 2?"

"Ah, gomen, Sil-senpai. Bel-senpai is fake prince no. 1," he replied in a dull tone.

Tsukiyo was amused at Fran's dullness. It was entertaining, just like Varia's bonding moments. My, how she wished Fran was a part of Varia, but not Rasiel. When you double a Belphegor, her chance of living will reach negative infinities.

"They're here," she heard Fran said, and explosions came in close proximity. Rasiel immediately shielded her from any debris that may hit her. That was his orders. Keep her occupied and keep her safe until those people found them.

"Shishishi. How noble, Sil," said Bel in a mocking tone, appearing from mayhem of the surroundings. He didn't quite like the closeness between his twin brother and Tsukiyo. Basically, from his reasoning, Tsukiyo was his toy, and ever since both Sil and he were a kid, he hated sharing anything with him.

"Vooi! Give us that brat!" Thundered Squalo, pointing at Tsukiyo.

Xanxus was just there, glaring at both Rasiel and Fran.

"If it wasn't of your reckless incursion, it might not have been necessary to shield her," Rasiel answered, earning defiant stares. He had the point, didn't he?

Tsukiyo was quite shocked at the moment to appreciate that Belphegor, Squalo, and even their fearsome boss, Xanxus had come to rescue her. Wait, rescue her? There was no harm done. Now that felt weird. Rasiel and Fran weren't enemies, her guts said so.

She looked to Xanxus and the latter met her eyes. If that was a glare, she doesn't know but she was sure, she saw some relief in those eyes. Like it was glad to see her alive. At that very moment, Tsukiyo wanted to hit herself. She hated her intuition since the very beginning of its awareness; it's been telling her lots of peculiarities, giving her another wave of paranoia. _I knew it, I'm sick. Ah, mentally sick. Heavens, I'm sick._

She heard the sound of a chopper coming near.

"Took them some time for them to get here," Fran stated, as usual, in his dull tone.

"Who them?" Asked Xanxus who was frowning at him?

"Boss." Rasiel answered, offering his hand to Tsukiyo and help her stand, which the latter gratefully accepted though it was of no use. She wasn't injured.

"Xanxus, it's the Ninth's Chopper," Squalo said, his face insinuating more of who Rasiel's boss might be.

* * *

Phew~

I'm so not good in dealing with words. Grammar is one of my weaknesses. Heh.


	8. Chapter 8 Nel Passato Part 1

I do not own KHR.

* * *

Sure, ever since the Ring Conflicts, he understood why Tsuna must be the Vongola's next boss. But still, Xanxus really hated his old man. And he'd loathe him further because of what he did. Setting up a kidnap situation while coolly paying them a visit as if he didn't know anything about the abduction of Tsukiyo. It was vexing. If he had not involved much with Tsukiyo, maybe, he hadn't even cared about the kidnapping. Hell, even in the past, the girl shouldn't even matter to her. She was all trouble, and he hated trouble. And she was suddenly around again. Well, she was a little kid back then, wasn't she? What does he knew about the thoughts running in a six-year old kid's mind.

Iemitsu smiled at the sight of Tsukiyo sleeping. He wanted to get angry at Timoteo for setting up that act but that doesn't matter anymore. Tsukiyo was unharmed and safe, that's more important.

Tsukiyo was dreaming. It seems so far but it was a warm one. It was somewhat like a fragment of her memory.

_Tsukiyo saw her mom crying again, all by herself. She heard the conversation between her mom and dad. He was going somewhere really far and he won't even tell her mom where._

_She was supposed to be sleeping upstairs with his little brother Tsuna but she can't sleep so she decided to go sleep with her parents but they weren't in their room. She found them talking downstairs in the living room and she did not inform them of her presence. She just listened. She didn't want her dad to leave them. She loves her family so much. She doesn't want even one person to be missing. _

_Tsukiyo saw his dad's baggage near the door and an idea entered her mind. If her dad's leaving, she wants to know where he is going. It's so unfair. He's not even telling her mom where he's going. She removed some of his belongings and fit herself inside. She was thankful of her small frame this time, just this time, she thought._

_Iemitsu already bade goodbye to his beloved wife. He was grateful enough for loving such an understanding lady. He decided not to look at his children upstairs; he might not be able to leave them. When he lifted his baggage, something felt wrong but he ignored it. Leaving his family already felt wrong. He must do this in order to protect them and provide them a good future._

_The Vongola Jet was waiting for him. At the next hours of his life, he's got a living to do in Italy. _

_When they landed, a black limousine was already waiting for him. The ninth was also in there, waiting for his arrival. Upon reaching the Vongola Mansion, he took a retreat on his given room. He was unpacking his baggage when the sight of little Tsukiyo sleeping almost gave him a heart attack and at that moment Timoteo entered the room, perplexed by the sight he stumbled to. Iemitsu explained to him that his daughter might have slipped into his baggage without his notice. Timoteo was quite disappointed but to have an unexpected visit from a distant granddaughter wasn't all bad._

_Iemitsu laid Tsukiyo on the bed and gave her a kiss on the forehead. How did she manage to stay inside his baggage? He felt sympathetic about her daughter, and at the same time angry at his self. _

"_Ninth, I need to send her back. Lend me the jet."_

"_Don't be in hurry, Iemitsu. Take a rest for the time being. When you have settled yourself, you can send her back. Take this time to have a good moment with your precious daughter. I'll see you around then."_

_Iemitsu nodded. He was getting drowsy. He took his position beside Tsukiyo and slept. What he did not know was that Tsukiyo heard the entire conversation. She was hurt knowing that his dad doesn't want her there. She got out of the bed and tiptoed quietly out of the room. She was going to hide somewhere. She didn't want to part with his father. She was going to stay there whether her father liked it or not._

_Tsukiyo was wandering aimlessly inside the maze-like mansion, and she was getting tired. She didn't know where to go. She was lost. A grandfather's clock stood in the hallway reading that it was eleven in the evening. She decided to go back to his father's room but it was futile. She didn't know how to get back. She was walking lifelessly when she heard the sound of a door, opening. She turned to the direction where it came from and saw a raven spiky-haired guy. He was taller, making the impression that he was older than her. He didn't seem friendly nor was he happy of seeing her. There was no smile in his face. When he saw Tsukiyo, the only thing he did was glare at her._

"_Who are you? What are you doing here?" He asked his voice cruel._

_Tsukiyo wanted to cry out of fear but she stopped herself. "S-sawada Tsukiyo."_

"_Are you a spy?" _

"_S-spy? Me? Are you playing a game? Can I join?" Tsukiyo suddenly said. She was fond of playing games, like a kid usually does._

_The boy just stared at her dumbly. "There's no way someone as stupid as you would be a spy." He was about to close the door when Tsukiyo got her arms in before it was closed._

"_Ouch!" She cried, tears visibly flowing from her eyes. The boy frowned at what she did._

"_What do you think are you doing?"_

"_I-I'm lost," she stuttered, not meeting his belittling glare. _

_The boy sighed, and opened the door wide. She signaled Tsukiyo to come in. Tsukiyo just stared at him as if not believing his offer._

"_If you don't want to come in, suit yourself." The boy was about to close the door when Tsukiyo pushed it back and entered the room. She pushed it too hard that Xanxus fell flat on his butt._

"_I'm sorry," Tsukiyo said, offering her hand to help the boy. The boy looked at her hand, raising an eyebrow in question. _

"_Get away from me. I might catch that unluckiness of yours. Besides you're not strong enough to help me up."_

_Tsukiyo's face saddened. "Okay." She retracted back her hands watching him stand on his own. He turned his back against her and sat on the sofa. He signaled Tsukiyo to sit in chair, opposite of the sofa. _

"_So why are you here again?" He asked, uninterested._

"_I followed my dad. You see, he's leaving our house and we don't know when he will come back again. I don't want to part with dad so I followed him. I was with him a while ago but I got lost because I tried to hide from him. He wants to send me back home. He doesn't want me here," she said, nonstop, his feet swaying through and fro, but her face wasn't devoid of sadness._

_The boy had his hands crossed over his chest. "Daddy's little girl is lost," he said sarcastically. "It's not my problem. I'm going back to sleep." He strode towards the bed at the corner of his room. _

"_Hey, what's your name?" Tsukiyo asked._

"_Why would that matter to you?" He asked._

"_Because it does, you attempted to help me," she insisted._

_The boy sighed, feeling a big wave of idiocy coming from Tsukiyo. Attempted to help. What was that suppose to mean? To tell the truth, he didn't even have the will to help the girl. She could go die for all he cares._

"_Xanxus, that's my name." He went to his bed, ignoring Tsukiyo._

_Tsukiyo just stared at him. She was getting sleepy, too. She did have a good sleep inside his father's baggage but she wandered like endlessly. The sofa was fine but she was feeling cold. She walked over to Xanxus, his eyes closed. _

"_Xan-nii." She attempted to wake him up but there was no response. She silently crept beside him, and slept with him under his cozy blanket. It was warm and comfortable. And she felt secured. _

"_Good night," she said to him, letting out a smile._

_Xanxus felt someone lay beside him. When he opened an eye to see who it was he found Tsukiyo sleeping conveniently under his sheets, facing him. He didn't bother to shove her away. He was sleepy and lazy enough to move his own body._

_Iemitsu woke up in panic after founding out that Tsukiyo wasn't beside him. The Vongola Mansion was a maze itself. Furthermore, if Tsukiyo had gone through the secret passages of the mansion, can she safely pass through the traps set for intruders? She's a kid, a six year old kid for Pete's sake. If something wrong happened to his daughter, he swore, he's going to take his own life. If he can, that is. He's the external advisor of the Vongola's Ninth Boss, the leader of CEDEF, and there were many responsibilities tied to his hands. He can't just leave those alone. But will he sacrifice his daughter for the sake of others? His own blood or the life of many? _

_He quickly rushed to the Timoteo's office after slipping into his proper attire. He's going to request the ninth for a search for his daughter in the entire mansion._

_Tsukiyo felt the blankets hovering over her gone but she attempted to reach it with his hands. Her eyes were closed, a sign that she doesn't want to wake up yet but a murderous voice suddenly boost her consciousness._

"_Who told you to sleep on my bed?"_

_Tsukiyo instantly jumped out of his bed. "I-I'm sorry. It was really cold and I. ."_

"_Yeah, yeah," he said, unconcerned. "I just wanted you to get off my bed, trash."_

"_Okay." She smiled, oblivious of the insult thrown at her. Xanxus almost raised an eyebrow to that but hell, she's a kid. An obnoxious one. Kids are like that, he generalized, as if he was not a kid himself. _

"_Let's talk to my old man. Maybe, he can help you."_

_She nodded her head enthusiastically. _

_Tsukiyo followed Xanxus out of the room and through the hallways. She was blurting out 'ohs','ahs' and 'wows' to express her admiration of the paintings, expensive decorations, and the magnificent construction inside. She was testing Xanxus' patience, unknowingly. _

_She's a damned ignorant kid, Xanxus. She's just a kid. That was all he was telling his self because he swear he could kill anyone that annoys him._

_Tsukiyo was still busy staring the surroundings when Xanxus caught her attention._

"_Wait. I want to see Bester," he said and walked into another hallway that lead them outside the Vongola Mansion. _

"_Who's Bester?" Tsukiyo asked._

"_My pet?"_

"_What animal is it?"_

"_Wait til you see," he grinned._

_When Tsukiyo saw his pet, she instantly clasped Xanxus' shirt, hiding behind him. "Why are you keeping such a dangerous animal?"_

"_It's cool, isn't it? My old man gave it to me." He said, opening the predator's cage. It ran towards Tsukiyo and she ran into the woods still being followed by the little pallid cub._

"_Hey, stop running. Bester's going to follow you if you won't stop!" Xanxus yelled but it was of no use. "Hell, it's just a little cub. What gives her the right to be afraid of such harmless creature?" He thought. Tsukiyo was gone and so was Bester – gone into the woods. Xanxus frowned at the situation. His father told him not to go into the woods since there are a lot of dangerous creatures in there. She doesn't care about the girl but Bester. He doesn't want to lose Bester._

_Tsukiyo halted after thinking that Bester was not already tagging behind her. She was tired and she sat in a root tree but the hissing sound made her stood up and walked as if she's just passing by. When she heard the ruffling of the bushes, she ran away again. Ran towards any direction that she thought might be the best path. She stopped by a clear stream. She was tired and she wanted to cry but no. She wants to look strong. Her dad told her to be strong for her mom and Tsuna. She musn't cry. Only weak people cry._

"_Hey, trash! I found you." It was Xanxus, cuddling little Bester on his hands. Tsukiyo ran towards him. She doesn't care about Bester anymore. Xanxus was there and she knew she's safe. _

"_Xan-nii!" She said and threw him a hug. Bester got off him as if giving her the chance. She cried on him. _

"_What the. Get off me." He ordered but Tsukiyo did not comply. He sighed. _

_When Tsukiyo finally let go of him, she was feeling fine. She uttered her thank yous to him but there was not a single reply of 'you're welcome.' _

"_Thanks to you, we're lost." He glared daggers at her._

"_At least we're together right. It's better than being alone," Tsukiyo said, followed by a smile._

_Xanxus doesn't know what to do with this girl. She was getting really annoying and how can she smile at that dire situation. Kids, really. They are a bunch of pathetic scums._


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own KHR.

* * *

Tsukiyo, being confronted by her dad, forgot what her dream was all about. It was the first thing she could recall but was displaced by his father's sudden intention of getting her back to Japan. And now she was under the trouble of choosing whether she wanted to stay or go. She would love to go, and never come back. She never came to being close to the Varia anyway. Okay, she felt guilty about that. But you can't blame her. Bel throwing a multitude of knives at him, Levi giving her stupid retorts and demands concerning their unconcerned boss, Marmon who ignores her and opportunely hurl her into some crazy illusions just because Bel paid him, Lussuria who was overfriendly, gay and eccentric, and not to mention Squalo's ear-deafening superiority. That's what Varia quality is.

She sighed. Just who the hell suggested to her dad to give her two days to make up her mind. She could decide right away, though she's going to miss the comical theatre the Varia was giving her, to compensate her misery - physically, emotionally and mentally.

Her dad and her grandfather left already with the Vongola's helicopter, and will be back after the given time for her decision. And about the kidnapping incident, they told her it was all a set-up. Upon learning that, she wanted to beat up his grandfather but she was not that disrespectful. As for Fran and Rasiel, both of them left with her seemingly heartless relatives.

After slipping into a different black maid uniform, she proceeded to the kitchen and found a crestfallen Lussuria.

_My, what happened to his happy nature?_

"Lus-nee, what's wrong?" Tsukiyo walked to him, only to found out he was near to crying.

"Tsu-chan, are you really going to leave us?" He asked with visible tears on the side of his eyes. The look on his face – the way those brows puckered, those lips curved into a gloomy line – made her thought otherwise. Maybe, she could stay for Lussuria. After all, he was the person she got nearly friendly with.

_Tsukiyo, you already decided, you'll go! _"We're still not sure about that, Lus-nee," she said to her. She swore she saw some rays of hope at his background, and she sort of regretted saying that.

"All right, Tsu-chan, you're not going to take any part of the kitchen chores. You must spend your time making up your mind," he said pushing poor Tsukiyo out, to the corridor.

"But.." Before Tsukiyo could even reason out some irrational raison d'être, Lussuria turned his back against him. Well, it's better than being slammed on the face, courtesy of the door.

"Okay. I'll go," she sighed, and took her steps to wherever part of the castle she might be. She stopped in front of Marmon's room. The baby wouldn't even care even if she left. Nevertheless, she knocked at the door, thinking why she even did that. She heard the baby's voice confirming her entry.

"What do you need from me, Tsukiyo Sawada?"

"Nothing really," she said.

"Heh, then leave. I'm not even being paid by just talking with you."

_Right, Marmon was the ever epitome of the god of greed. _"Money is your fuel[1], isn't it, Marmon?" She asked, with her stolen line from an anime she had watched before. The protagonist was really making money his best comrade.

Marmon, which Tsukiyo guessed to be amused at her question, had his attention at her. "Without money, the world won't be even turning."

She sighed. _Too much for greediness. _

"Let me tell you something about Reborn," he said earning Tsukiyo's interest. "I'll tell you something… but everything has its price."

_My, the little baby is trying to make some money from me. _"I was interested," she laughed. "But no thanks. I've got no money for you, you see."

"You're boring."

_Ouch. _ "Well then, I'll take my leave, Marmon."

She was about to close the door when Marmon gave her a surprising deal. "I can tell you anything about Reborn. If you stay, that is."

She just smiled. "Sure thing," she replied with no such meaning in it. She hadn't made up her mind yet. She carried on her way to an undetermined destination. But really, why would Marmon want her to stay? Money involved possibly.

She met Belphegor on the hallway. He was still the same – the usual Cheshire grin, the usual outfit, the usual Tiara – wait, he had his little mink on his shoulders. And no set of knives approaching her. No shishishi-ing either.

"Wahh, Bel, your mink, can I hold it?" She asked him, excitedly, pointing at the white creature on his shoulder.

"No." The reply came instantly which made Tsukiyo fell into gloom. _What do you expect from the selfish prince anyway?_

She was about to pass through him, annoyed when she felt something landed on her shoulder. It was Bel's look-a-like mink.

"Hey, if you stay, I might let you keep him," he offered.

She blinked at him. Now she's getting something. Does Belphegor like her? She's not dense all right but… _nah_. She shrugged the thought. _Impossible. But what if…_ She battled with her thoughts again.

"Hey," Belphegor leaned closer to her.

"H-hey, Bel, why does your mink have the same appearance as you do? Y-you know, the eyes, being covered," she instantly asked, taking some unremarkable backward steps. She was barely looking at him. The mink jumped back at his shoulder.

"Shishishi. You seem disturbed, Tsu-chan." He grinned, ignoring her question.

"I'm sorry. Ah, I need to go. See ya around, Bel." After saying that, she dashed right away to somewhere really far from him. However, her mind was still fighting over the idea that Belphegor like her.

_But hey. If you stay, you've got to keep that mink._ Her mind mentioned, and she was seeing herself agreeing.

That was the first day and her mind was still battling Belphegor's case. But she was also insisting inside her head the main problem she needs to get decided. She sighed. Thank goodness she fell into a satisfying dreamless sleep.

_._._._._._._._.

And on her final choice…

_I'm not staying._ That's what her mind was saying while walking alone in the hallways of Varia Headquarters. _I want to see Namimori and if I did I might even give Gokudera and Hibari a bone-crushing hug, even shout at their faces that I missed them very much. Tch, no way, I'll kill them once I heard they lay a finger on Tsu-kun. _

"It'll be a trouble if she goes, Xanxus!" She heard Squalo's loud voice coming from their boss' room.

_Now, why would that be a trouble?_ She stood in front of Xanxus' room. Interested she was, she leaned closer to the door to overhear something.

"I don't like her a bit, boss, but if she leaves, Fran and Rasiel are staying." It was Levi, and she wanted to say that didn't like him either.

"Don't you dare feel apathetic at situations like this, Xanxus! Fran and Rasiel will aggravate trouble in the quarters," Squalo managed to threaten him before stepping out of the room and seeing Tsukiyo standing in front of him. He closed the door of Xanxus' room; the remaining two inside didn't seem to notice her.

"Eavesdropping, aren't we, Tsukiyo?"

_With a loud voice of yours, there's no use of eavesdropping. _She didn't answer. "Uhm, I need to see Luss-nee. See ya." She trailed back to the kitchen.

Tsukiyo was baffled. What is it with Fran and Rasiel that they seem to impose disarray to Varia? She left, on her way to Lussuria. He was the kindest of all of them, so he won't bother if she asked something about what she heard.

"Hey, Lus-nee, if Fran and Rasiel stayed, what might possibly happen to Varia?"

Lussuria gazed at her, thinking this was his chance to convince her to stay.

"Well you see, Tsu-chan, about Fran's case, there might be some trouble between him and Marmon. We don't need two mist guardians."

"Guardians?"

Lussuria told her then about the Vongola rings, their respective owners, and inevitably, the Ring Conflict.

After hearing the long narration, Tsukiyo was silent with apparent blinking. What the hell did his little brother got involved into? Mafia and then now, subordinates called guardians. _And no way, he got Hibari on his league? And wait, Lambo? Ah, who the hell is Mukuro Rokudo, and why did that timid Chrome got into this?_

"So you mean, the Varia has its guardian,too?"

"Yes."

"The Ring Conflict, I remember they told me something about sumo wrestling. Tsuna won in there, I heard." She suddenly took a mental image of Tsuna and his friends. Then, she stared worriedly at Lussuria. "Is that why Xanxus seemed to be irritated with me?"

"Past is past, Tsu-chan. We should just move on and look for a better tomorrow," he said gaily, swaying his fingers fashionably to Tsukiyo which she found disgusting yet amusing.

She sighed. Now she knew why Marmon wanted her to stay, as for Bel's case, too. _I really think he likes you though_, an antagonistic side of her mind argued. _Yeah, right._

"Tsu-chan, please stay. Once those two started living here, the Varia Headquarters will be at chaos!" He clamored, desperately, his hands clasping her shoulders. She sighed again.

"I'll think about it," she said.

"You don't need to think about it," Xanxus said, unsmiling, appearing from nowhere. "If you really want to leave, you can just go. Don't bother yourself about it. This is Varia's problem, not yours." His gaze went to Lussuria. "Get me tequila. Bring it to my room," he said and left without even saying goodbye. He was really unconcerned, and somehow Tsukiyo just felt something was not in place.

"Lus-nee, can I bring that to him?" She asked pointing at the tray he was holding.

"Sure, Tsu-chan, here. Are you sure you're going to be fine?" He asked in concern.

She nodded and smiled. "Of course I am… not." She said making her last word inaudible.

She treaded her path. On her way, she gazed at the lavishing sets of forest trees outside. She saw a lightning drew in the dark cloudy sky that afternoon followed by an earsplitting clash of thunder. She was frozen at her place, still staring at the dark sky wherein the lightning flashed as if she had seen something out of the ordinary. The tray she was holding fell on the floor as memories came flooding inside her mind.

* * *

{1} - 'Money is my fuel' taken from the anime zombie loan, as said by Chika Akatsuki


	10. Chapter 10 Nel Passato Part 2

I do not own KHR.

* * *

_The forest isn't such a friendly place especially for kids like Xanxus and Tsukiyo. Wild animals linger in there, considering that rumors say that the forest near the Vongola Mansion was where notorious criminals escape to. _

_Out there, Xanxus was leaning on a tree while Bester was taking a nap on the grassy ground on his feet. Tsukiyo, on the other hand, was exactly in an established two-meter distance of his don't-come-near-me rule. She was looking at the surrounding frantically as if expecting something horrible to show up and so it did. _

"_I didn't know the forest had been turned into kid's park," a hoarse voice said sarcastically showing his self. The disheveled man was holding a gun on right his hand which he retracted from pointing at them seeing that they were just kids. _

_Xanxus knew what he can do. He could kill the man in a matter of seconds – with his flame. They could just disappear. He won't forgive anyone who threatens his life. He was about to make his move when he found out that the man wasn't alone. He got company. Their sight made the six-year old Tsukiyo fell into trembling. She was staring at them in fear._

"_Wait a minute," one of the man's companions said. "Well, what do we have here, the probable heir of the Vongola Family." He was eyeing Xanxus who glared back at him. "He got attitude, man."_

"_Luck must be on our side. We can finally take a revenge on Vongola by killing the boss' son," another one suggested._

"_So all of you here resent the Vongola?" Xanxus asked nonchalantly. _

"_We do, brat. The Vongola had destroyed our lives," he said furiously pointing the gun at Xanxus who wasn't intimidated to who's the one at advantage. _

"_Well, the Vongola doesn't need trash like you," Xanxus answered with purpose to ridicule. _

_With a swift movement, one of the armed men was in front of Xanxus, his gun pointed right on the kid's forehead. Xanxus, on the other hand, wasn't taken aback. He was still calm, and glaring at the man in that situation was exactly like him. The man didn't pull the trigger. Instead, he hit Xanxus' face with the gun, causing the kid to fell on the ground; blood flowed from the side of his lips. _

_Tsukiyo was watching the whole ordeal in horror. She had never seen such violence before. She can't move, she just trembled in her place. She saw no hesitation at the man who was pointing the gun at Xanxus. _

_She was busy pleading inside her mind for someone to help them that she didn't notice black flames swirling around her. _

"_Someone… someone help us. Someone…" _

_Reaching the extremities of her fear, the black flames soared at every direction. They churned, forming a black tornado, Tsukiyo at its core. She was floating now, eyes opened, however there was no feeling on them. She didn't know what she was doing, it seemed. The wind's movement dancing with the black flames was like whips hitting their assailants. It was not easy to move in such circumstances. Some of them were blown away, hitting their backs at barricade of trees._

_Then she saw Xanxus, lying unconscious on the ground; and Bester, looking badly hurt, was near him. A wave of fury rose from her and she glared at the remaining men who was stills standing. The men's face was filled with terror. The place covered with fright. Tsukiyo motioned her hand, directing the black flame to attack the men surrounding her. They flew everywhere, but it wasn't just that. The flames shape-shifted into dagger-like flares and targeted every one of them. Blood showered everywhere. Helpless screams echoed. Some had successfully escaped the assault but they were captured by the Vongola men who came right in the moment of the chaos. After a while, Tsukiyo fell on the ground near Xanxus. She looked exhausted. And as she closed her eyes, the flames disappeared. _

_The place was a perfect sight of ambush. Blood splattered everywhere, painting the place with a shade of gloomy red. This was what Sawada Iemitsu had stumbled. He saw the impossible mass homicide done by his daughter. He saw her flames. He saw how she killed them._

She stared at the shattered pieces of glass on the floor. She was shaking uncontrollably. Was that a part of her memory, she wondered. No, she doesn't have such a recollection about that. Was Marmon playing some kind of illusion to her again? Of all times?

She heard the sound of the helicopter hovering over the Varia Headquarters. It was them – her father and the ninth, and possibly Fran and Rasiel. She calmed herself and quickly picked up the shards of glasses, careful not to cut her hands again.

She knew it wasn't Marmon's illusion. It happened, she just knew it. Her mind told her it happened, though she can't clearly remember slipping into her father's baggage or meeting a young Xanxus back when she was six.

But she was sure, the Vongola's involved with this, and Xanxus knows something she don't.

Tsukiyo didn't seem to notice the tears that flowed from her eyes. She stood up, holding the tray. My, how were they able to keep those memories away from her?

* * *

Quite short. Haha.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR.

* * *

Given the two-day duration to decide whether to stay or go in Varia, she ended not making up her mind because of the sudden twist of fate. She wanted somebody to ask about that incident that her memories were bringing up. But thinking of it, there were only three people in her mind to ask that – her father, Timoteo and Xanxus. She thought they knew something about the incident.

Honestly, she didn't know what to feel. Will she be angry at them? More to that, she was guilty. She had never taken anyone's life. That was what she thought all her life. She would fight like a delinquent alright but killing was out of it. Besides, if she was to fight it was for a definitely good reason like defending Tsuna from his bullies.

And at a young age, six to be specific, she already took not only a life, but lives. It sounds impossible but those were her memories unless someone can implant false memories inside her mind.

Out of her deep thoughts, Lussuria came calling for her. Lussuria told her that her father, Timoteo and even Xanxus were in the living room, waiting for her. For her, for those three to be at a place at such an unpleasant comeback of her seemingly locked memories, were like a touch of luck and catastrophe at the same time.

She was about to knock into their conversation but she had the sudden urge to wait and listen first to what they were talking about. Seemingly, eavesdropping had become one of her habits.

"Xanxus, only the three of us knows the truth about Tsukiyo. And I'm afraid that one of these days Tsukiyo's memories about that incident years ago will be regained," said Timoteo in his calm tone.

"Let me get this to the point, you want me to do something when something goes wrong with her," Xanxus said.

"Exactly," her father answered. "We don't know how Tsukiyo might react."

"And we don't know how she will react if she found out more about her being unworthy of the Vongola Decimo title," Timoteo added.

Tsukiyo raised an eyebrow at her grandfather's statement. Was it because she was a girl?

"Never did the Vongola Family have someone with a black flame. Our family always had that pure intense orange flame," Timoteo spoke again. "Having a black flame was very rare. And Timoteo, you saw it yourself, those impure flames which had taken a lot of lives."

"But ninth, she is my daughter. She had the blood of Vongola," Iemitsu argued, speaking for his daughter's sake.

"I'm not saying that Tsukiyo was adopted from somewhere. She's different, and we don't know how different we are from her," the silver-haired old man said.

"She had the same flame with Byakuran during the battle ten years in the future," Xanxus mentioned. "And her whereabouts in the future were undetermined."

But of course, they all knew what Tsukiyo did in the future. If those memories granted by the arcobalenos from the future was passed to their past selves were true, then Tsukiyo might really impose a great problem to Vongola. But they were heading to a different future now. That doesn't mean that Tsukiyo won't turn out like what she had been.

"She can't be trusted for now," Timoteo said which Tsukiyo heard her father agreed.

Now Tsukiyo was getting confused. Ten years battle, Byakuran, her whereabouts, black flame, trust. They're all entangled. Connected yet she doesn't understand. _Am I supposed to be an enemy?_

She entered the room. She was staring disdainfully at them. Her fists were clenched hard, hidden from their sight, as it took its place at her back. She was trying to suppress the anger welling up inside her. She took a deep rough sigh.

"It seems that I remembered something about black flames and killing other people," she started calmly. "And more to that, I learned that I shouldn't be trusted by my own… relatives." She smiled bitterly. She stared frowned at them. "Am I supposed to be your enemy?"

She wasn't given answers. She looked at Xanxus. "I saved your life back then. Aren't you supposed to be thankful I killed your murderers?"

"Until we don't find any evidences, you are to be doubted. You are not to be trusted," it was Xanxus' cold voice that passed his judgment. When she looked at her father and Timoteo, their eyes were apologizing but their stand was on Xanxus.

"Yes, you killed them, but not for me. Remember, you hurt me and Bester, too. You got angry by your actions that you vent them on the men who don't have any advantage over you." Xanxus continued pressing on as if she didn't do him a favor. That she just did it on her own accord.

She was feeling bleak. She killed for an absurd reason. It felt like she was a cruel person.

"For the sake of the Vongola Family, we need to lock you up until further investigations, Tsukiyo," said her father. She couldn't believe it. She looked at him in shocked. Then she shook her head.

She couldn't take it anymore. Finding that your own family doesn't trust you are one of the gravest acts in her life. She hastily got herself out of that suffocating room of mistrust, not even letting them see the tears flowing from her eyes.

For the first time of her life, she loathed her family. She loathed her father. She loathed Timoteo. She loathed Xanxus. She hated Tsunayoshi for being such a weakling and submitted to being the Vongola Tenth. She hated her mom for being so naïve about the mafia work going on their lives. She resented being Tsukiyo Sawada. She resented the Vongola. She resented her black flame. She questioned why the hell does that memory needed to come back.

She stepped out of the Varia Headquarters. She doesn't know where to go. She doesn't feel welcome there anymore. She looked at the forest ahead of her. _I wonder if there was some creek out there. Life's seems to be meaningless. _"How about having a little tour to the seventh hole of hell, Tsukiyo?" She asked herself sarcastically. Nonetheless, she took her step. And then another. And then another, until she can't take it anymore. She ran – inside the forest. Inside the place where she wished she could just die.

_I was never this vulnerable. My family, they just went against me. Think about it, Tsukiyo, if you never had them in the first place, things aren't so hurtful. Family, who are they kidding. Who needs them? _She smiled bitterly, tears rolling down her cheeks. She continued to run. She wanted to get away, really far away. How about she dies?

_._._._._._._._.

"Reborn, I've been wondering, where was Tsuki-nee in the future fight with Byakuran?" Tsuna asked. He was doing his homework in math with Reborn's really motivating way of detonating bombs upon a wrong answer given.

"I don't know either. Even the whole Vongola doesn't know it. It seems like she just doesn't exist. There's a possibility that she might have died," the sun arcobaleno replied. But in those words of his, a lie was hidden. He knew where she was.

Tsuna shivered at that thought. Rather, he felt miserable. He doesn't want to lose her sister. Tsukiyo had always been there for him. She would stand against his bullies. He really wondered why won't they let Tsukiyo just be the tenth. She was more worth it compared to a no-good like him. If not the tenth, why didn't they let her be one of his guardians? He'd really appreciate it if Tsukiyo would replace Lambo in his family, now that she knew about the mafia. He sighed.

He saw Reborn talking to someone on his phone. After he was done, he looked to Tsuna with an unfriendly serious look.

"W-who was that, Reborn?" He asked to break the uneasy ambiance inside his room.

"Dino," Reborn replied.

"What did Dino said? You look grim, Reborn."

"It seems like we have some problems regarding Tsukiyo," the sun arcobaleno said.

Tsuna frowned at Reborn. "Something happened to her, right, Reborn?" He asked, getting furious. "Tell me, what they did to her!"

Reborn kicked Tsuna on the head. "Don't be swept by your feelings, Dame-Tsuna."

"But, Reborn, how can I be calm if my sister is in danger?" He shouted again.

"Dino will be arriving here, a few seconds by now," said Reborn. He was right. His mom called out to him, saying that he has visitors.

"Yo, Tsuna," the boss of Cavallone family greeted before entering his room. As usual, the blond-haired guy was accompanied by his never-should-leave-him subordinate Romario. He was smiling at first; however, his expression became serious.

"We've got some information about your sister regarding the future battle," he started right away.

That made Tsuna felt anxious. It seems that there was really a big trouble concerning his sister.

"What about Tsuki-nee?" He asked though he got the feeling that it wasn't pleasant. A disaster was seemingly rising up from somewhere and Tsukiyo was its root.

"She was believed to be one of Byakuran's accomplices. She had severed ties with Vongola in the future. She went against us… though the reason remains uncovered," the blonde man said, his tone unwavering, showing that he was sure of the information he spilled out.

Tsuna glowered. He knew better than them, Dino wasn't lying.

"But what if, she was part of the plan devised by my future self. What if she was like Irie Shoichie and Hibari? They knew what my future self was thinking," Tsuna defended his sister's case, still in doubt.

"I know it's hard to believe it, Tsuna, and that is impossible. If she were, Irie and Hibari should have told you that," Dino said, giving more details that pushed Tsukiyo to her fault.

"If she was a traitor, someone should have told me already," Tsuna argued, his voice rising, his being fueled up by anger. He looked at Reborn. He knew he must knew that himself. The arcobaleno pulled down his fedora to cover his eyes. Tsuna could not take it as a confirmation.

How could they doubt his sister who had protected him ever since they were kids? "What if she was being controlled by Byakuran like what happened to Uni." He looked up to them, tenderness reflecting on his eyes.

They understood him. It was unacceptable. A girl like Tsukiyo was never the type of person to betray someone. But that was the truth, she had sided with Byakuran.

"That's one of our propositions but your friend Irie cleared it. Tsukiyo was the one to approach Byakuran, and at the peace meeting, she was the one who initiated the shooting – your death."

Tsuna was confused. "No way." Tsukiyo will never do that, especially to him. Tsukiyo love his family. She loved them more than her life, more than everything. But knowing that she killed him in the future was disheartening. He wanted to get angry at someone but he doesn't know to whom. He held his head as if experiencing an intense headache.

"The arcobaleno had successfully sealed Byakuran's memories at the present. Now, there is a small possibility that incidents in the future will never occur… but Tsukiyo's case might be different," said Reborn. "Tsukiyo's memories weren't strongly secured. Though, the arcobalenos had tried to prevent future contact from her, they can't do it. Her memory was locked once, when she was a kid. The arcobalenos, somewhat, unlocked those memories causing the delay of her memories from the future. One of these days, her memories from the future might visit her and we don't know what might happen since… we don't even know why she went against the Vongola, to begin with. We might have stopped Byakuran, but we don't know about Tsukiyo."

Tsuna just stared at them looking helpless when Dino's phone rang.

He looked worriedly at them, after he put his phone down. "Tsuna, Reborn, it seems like Tsukiyo ran away."


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own KHR.

There are OC's in this story: Sawada Tsukiyo, Fiamma Astretto and Felicity. They're mine.

* * *

Lies…

No.

It was mistrust. They had accused her for treason. A betrayal she had no idea thereof. She tried to stop from crying. She refused to cry over such a foolish thing – a thing she had not done. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't her loss, it was theirs. But no matter how much she suppressed those feelings, they kept on coming. They kept on rising every second. And it frustrated her. Pained her.

She continued running, she couldn't feel dread or exhaustion. Somewhere, she wanted to go somewhere. But there is only nowhere for her. She had nothing more. She fell on her knees. The dark gray sky thundered, plummeting down raindrops as if to join her tears. She stared up. And then she screamed. A harsh scream of resentment… of helplessness… of loneliness.

The forest never echoed those screams. It just listened to her, giving her more of the place like she was welcome in there. She was tired. She felt drained. Praying for death, she had lost his consciousness.

She didn't come to see the shadows hidden from the trees that approached her fallen body on the ground. One of them picked her up, and carried her to their refuge.

_._._._._._.

There were two pairs of eyes gazing at her the moment she woke up. A couple, she thought. The woman smiled warmly at her which reminded her of her mother. She approached her and sat on the bed where she was. She had a long red hair which was left sagging until her pelvis and matched deep auburn eyes. She was maybe around her late twenties. She was beautiful, and she looks friendly at that.

"You're feeling fine now, aren't you?" She asked, the smile fading from her face. Friendly wasn't the word. Looks could be deceiving after all. The woman's tone was empty, no emotions attached. She asked her of her well-being but it was as if it doesn't matter.

"Felicity, you're scaring her," the man, around his early thirties put his hand on the woman's shoulder. Like the woman, he had a long hair but it was tied up in a ponytail behind his back which made him look grand, and it was colored blue-black. His eyes were of the same color. He looked at Tsukiyo, waiting for an answer.

"Y-yes, I'm fine," she answered meekly, but tears suddenly glistened on her eyes. She had almost forgotten what happened but it came back again, haunting her. Not leaving her mind. It was as if saying that she didn't cry enough. That she had yet more to suffer. And she broke down. She wept, her head rested on the top of her knees, and her hands hugging them. She hated that feeling. She felt very weak.

"Geez, don't cry on me like that," the woman said and threw her hands around her. Sure, she was intimidating but she cared… or was she pretending? But it was warm. Tsukiyo heard her sigh. "It's all right. You can cry all you want. I won't let you do this on me again, anyway."

Tsukiyo smiled at the woman's statement, and she continued to sob as her heart pleased.

"Why do you look so hurt, kid?" The woman's voice continued, in a gentle hypnotizing way.

Tsukiyo did not show any willingness to answer but after a moment, she finally blurted it out.

"I never thought my f –, they would mistrust me." She said between her sobs. Saying the word "family" was getting harder every moment she remembered her tribulation. Right then, she had successfully halt herself from sobbing. She sniffed, and wiped those, she deemed, useless tears.

She felt the woman's embrace uplifted from her. "Now, you seem fine," she said, empty-toned again. Tsukiyo was amused, mood swings. It was the first time she encountered someone with such psychological difficulty. And she was even pretty.

"I'll get some water," she said and left the room.

Tsukiyo gazed around the room. Everything seems wooden, traditional Japanese style. Was she in Japan all of a sudden?

"Japanese-inspired," the man said noticing her behavior. "Felicity loves Japan," he continued.

"So I'm not in Japan?" Tsukiyo asked with a frown.

"Obviously," he answered, following a slight laughter. "By the way, my name is Fiamma Astretto and the red-head woman is Felicity."

"You're wife?" She asked again.

"My, this is becoming an interview session," he said. He took a sit on chair beside the bed. "Yes, she's my wife, and six months from now we're having our first baby. Now isn't that what good life is all about?" He smiled, reflecting how approachable a person he is.

"Is she really like that?" She shot a question again, as if not absorbing how she should be happy for them.

"What do you mean?" Fiamma asked back.

"That, err…," she paused thinking how she should ask him about Felicity's mood swings.

"Oh, the mood swings… amusing isn't it?" He asked her.

"Ahahaha." That was all what came out from her mouth. _No comment._

"I've got your water," Felicity said entering the door. Really, it looks like she didn't want to enter the room but what can she do, her beloved was inside that room. She gave the water to Tsukiyo. "Here have some more so you can have more to cry out later."

_Where did she get such idea? But was it really like that? _Tsukiyo shrugged. None of her business, but she found Felicity really… amusing, wasn't she? Tsukiyo smiled.

Tsukiyo stared outside the window which showed the plain view of gigantic trees. Judging by the view outside, it was late afternoon. "You live near that forest?"

"What do you mean live near, we live in the forest," Fiamma answered, approaching Felicity and hugged the woman from her back. The couple smiled at each other.

_Oh my, what a sweet couple. Wait_…"So you mean, the V-varia Headquarters is near?" She asked quite loud which made both of them raise an eyebrow.

"There's a considerable distance between this place and that place," Felicity answered. "Why? Are you supposed to go back in there? But I was sure you were running to the opposite direction yesterday."

She twitched at that. She didn't let them see her face.

"If you want to, I can contact Xanxus to send some subordinates to fetch you here," Fiamma said.

"No!" She protested immediately. "I don't want to go back in there!"

That made both of them baffled at her behavior. And that was when Tsukiyo saw Felicity pointing a gun at her. "Now tell me, kid, are you an enemy of the Vongola?"

She didn't know where the lady drew that gun. Tsukiyo's eyes widened at the surprise threat on her life. Then she remembered the same situation she and Xanxus were caught in eleven years ago. Some unknown guy was pointing a gun at them. Ready to aim for their lives. This woman had the same determination in her eyes. And then she understood, Fiamma and Felicity are Vongola.

She wanted to die, didn't she? This was her chance, she thought.

"And what if I am?" She talked back, this time meeting her menacing eyes which she pretended that had no effect on her. They gazed at each other for a while until Felicity was ready to pull the trigger. She was stopped by Fiamma by grabbing the gun effortlessly from his beloved.

"Quit it, Felicity," he said. "She's just having some hard time." Fiamma strode in front of him. "If I'm not mistaken, you're Tsukiyo Sawada, correct?"

Tsukiyo nodded as response, looking at him quizzically. The man knows something.

"We had orders to bring you back… to Varia… alive." He emphasized every word in his statement. Sternly, unbreakable in any way.

"Please, don't. I don't want to go back," Tsukiyo said. "That's not the place for me."

Felicity grabbed her by her clothes. "Quit fucking around!" Tsukiyo couldn't even believe this was the woman who was consoling her moments ago. "Do you think it's easy for their part, too? Stop being selfish Tsukiyo Sawada, you're not the only one who's suffering at this situation. You should understand - this is the mafia. This is for your family's safety. This isn't your ideal world! Wake up, will you?" There was more that Felicity had said; but to Tsukiyo, those didn't matter anymore.

She was right. This wasn't just her life. She wasn't some kind of god that would matter to the world. She was a just a human with a family and life out of the ordinary. This is the mafia. She should have thought. Her father must have suffered, too. Even her grandfather. Worst of all, her little brother Tsunayoshi. He must have been through a great ordeal before dealing with this being tenth generation boss business.

"Our orders were to bring you there before the night falls," Fiamma broke into her thoughts. She gazed outside again. That would be a few hours by now. She stood up.

"Let's get going then," she said to them. She made up her mind. Everything's going to be alright. But inside her, nothing was all right. She had seen that it might not just her who was suffering but it feels like it didn't make a big difference. She wondered.

Tsukiyo and Fiamma were waiting outside the Japanese-inspired house. Felicity went back inside the house to get something important.

"What's taking her so long?" Fiamma muttered watching the whole traditional Japanese-inspired house .

At that moment, Tsukiyo was getting uneasy. "Let's go see her, Fiamma."

She was about to take her step when a loud explosion coming from the house shocked them.

"Felicity!" He shouted in despair, running towards the house, but Tsukiyo tried to grabbed him from the blinding doom he was about to approach. The house was burning in an instant, its wooden walls crumbling down. But that wasn't all; men appeared surrounding them. They were holding their own firearms.

"Fiamma Astretto," one of them spoke. He had an unruly short brown hair, and was smirking devilishly at the person whom he addressed.

"You bastard!" Fiamma shouted in anger.

"You should have thought that living in such dangerous place will get you nowhere but death."

It was a foolish deed for a mafioso to act on his own accord without thinking, but Fiamma's thoughts were clouded. His wife and his child were gone, killed in a second he wasn't with them. He pulled out a revolver from his coat and fired at the brown-haired man. He shot him fair on the head which sent the man to his death. But his subordinates paid his greeting with a shower of bullets. Fiamma didn't care about dying but he wanted to be true to his word. He covered Tsukiyo, instructing her to duck down the ground. Amidst the ambush, Fiamma talked to her.

"You know, Tsukiyo, people tend to destroy the lives of people even though they love them very much. You know why?" In an abrupt situation they were in, Tsukiyo was astonished by Fiamma's guts to question her.

"Because they think that it's for the best of those people, isn't it? A stupid theory," she replied, nonetheless.

"Maybe," he smiled. "Be strong, Tsukiyo. The world might not be friendly with you. But who cares about the world. Sometimes, you just need to be selfish. That's the way of living. Without selfishness, there is no charity."

"Why are you like this all of a sudden?"

"Tsukiyo, someone told me to tell you this..." He winced in pain. Bullets had already infiltrated his being. He had such resolve to live, or was it just because he wanted to tell her something?

"Fiamma! You're bleeding, damn it!" She couldn't do anything. She was no doctor.

"It's alright."

Tears started to well up in her eyes. "Fiamma, why are you protecting me? You idiot."

"An order. Live, Tsukiyo. That was the message. So please, if you don't have any reasons to live, then have mine. Live for me and my family."

And he fell completely on her.

She didn't know how much time had passed. Tsukiyo didn't move. Her eyes were just staring at oblivion. She was soaked in blood, Fiamma's blood. The men weren't around anymore. They left them, thinking that there was no life spared from the ambush. She didn't do anything. She couldn't do anything. She felt Fiamma's weight on her body but the barrenness she felt burdened her more.

She shoved Fiamma's cold body to her side. She stood. She watched as the house annihilated itself with fire. She watched the dead body which covered her and saved her life. Tears continued to flow from her eyes.

_Yes, this is the mafia world. But must it be this cruel?_

_Live, Tsukiyo… for me and my family. _She heard Fiamma's voice. She felt resentment against him. Fiamma knows a side of her. She couldn't die now. Now that he passed to her something she must value. She ought them something.

"Tsukiyo!" She heard someone called her name. It was her father's voice. Behind him were armed mans in formal black suites.

She wiped those tears and turned to him. She knows what he was thinking. All of it was her doing. She saw his eyes gazed at the burning house and the body of Fiamma Astretto, and then back to her who was soaking in blood.

"Where is Felicity?" He asked her, his tone insinuating something she didn't even want to notice.

Her father didn't know what happened and here she was accused by him, of a murder. It was no surprise, he saw her back then. He saw she killed. He saw how she mercilessly killed those men when she was six. But that wasn't of her will.

"She was inside the house," she replied, trying to keep her voice intact. Of all people, she doesn't want to look weak in front of the person who told her to be strong.

"Tsukiyo, tell me, did you…"

"I did not do it!" She shouted, interfering from the question, rather, the accusation he was so willing to confirm. She wanted to tell him what really happened. It wasn't her.

They were ambushed and Fiamma protected her. The man saved him. And she did nothing…

Three lives. That moment of her life cost three lives and it wasn't worth it. Felicity, Fiamma and their unborn child deserve a happy life so why is she the one breathing at the end?

She ran again. With all of these things, toppling with each other, it was what she always resorted to. She ignored the call of her father.

_It wasn't worth it, Fiamma. Why did you save me?_

_

* * *

_

_Haha. 12 Chapters already and Belphegor was still out of sight. Peace out. He'll come out soon. _


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own KHR.

* * *

She halted and took a few steps. She was still feeling desolate. Things were happening so fast, she had no idea what's going on. Was she being toyed? But she knew it wasn't a prank at all. Everything was going fine, though it wasn't fine to her at all.

She stared up the sky. Night would fall soon, and she had not a place to stay. She heard nearing footsteps. She hid behind a tree, in the shadows. It was her father's men, looking for her. She slid down the ground, covering her mouth in order not to make any unnecessary noise. Suddenly, her head felt like it was like clashing with a wall. It hurt. But at her best, she tried not to shout. At that ordeal, memories flowed into her mind. Another set of memory she had no idea of.

In those memories, she was older. Her brown hair was tied in a long braid, hanging behind her back leaving some locks and bangs in facade of her face.

"_I presume you already know who I am, Byakuran," Tsukiyo said smugly at the white-haired man who was sitting comfortably on the white sofa. The man was giving him a smile which she deemed fake. Bel's grin was even more awesome than that. _

"_Ah, yes, Tsukiyo Sawada, is it?" He said, picking up a marshmallow and stuffing it on his mouth. "What business do you have from me?" He asked staring at her intently._

"_Let me join the Millefiorre," she said, her tone unwavering. _

_Byakuran almost raised an eyebrow but he gave her an interested look. "Now, isn't that surprising, Tsu-chan, why would you want to join my family. Had plans of betraying me afterwards?" His tone sounded nothing, like it wasn't a big deal to him at all._

_Tsukiyo just stared at him not affected of his accusation. "You're wrong. I had severed my ties with Vongola."_

"_You really do sound suspicious, Tsu-chan," Byakuran commented nonchalantly. "But… if you insist, I might as well try to test to where your loyalty lies. I'm easy to talk to after all."_

"_By what means?" Tsukiyo asked, as if already prepared. She met his playful eyes that had turned grave._

"_Next week, your little brother and I will have a peace meeting. At that meeting, I want you to shoot him," he said directly, observing her reactions to what he said._

_Tsukiyo, on the other hand, didn't falter. She knows what she was doing. This is the right thing, she thought, anger raising up every second she recalled talking with her little brother. This is what Tsuna wants; then he will get it. _

"_Understood."_

_The meeting was going fine until Byakuran disagreed with having Vongola as an ally family, and when his subordinates drew out their firearms. Byakuran's men outnumbered Tsuna for he was alone. None of his guardians were around nor was any guard with him. Tsukiyo showed herself wearing a white suit, the uniform of the White Spell, and her long wavy hair at loose. _

_"This is what you asked for Tsuna," she said in an emotionless tone. She pulled out a gun and pointed it at Tsuna, not even shaking nor there were any hesitations seen in her. Tsuna looked funereal at her. He was frowning at the unexpected turn of events. He was good, she thought. He's really was good actor, and she hated him more. _

"_Arrivederci, ototo-kun." And a loud shot of ammo echoed in the whole room. He was dead. Tsuna was dead. She killed him, and aimed at the vital part of a human's anatomy – right where his heart is. His little brother's body was soaking in blood. He had fallen on the ground without even gasping his last words._

"_Well done, Tsukiyo," Byakuran praised in a delighted tone. "I never knew you could actually kill your own little brother." He laughed blasphemously and that laughter reverberated inside her mind. _

_Tsuna's gone. He's really gone. But there was no regret._

The pain on hear head had ceased slowly.

But she was left shocked. She had sided with the Millefiorre, an enemy of the Vongola. The family who had killed her little brother, and the most appalling of them all, she killed Tsuna. She shot Tsuna right on his chest. And she did it as if he was not of the same blood.

Tsukiyo was shaking. No, she couldn't do that to Tsuna. _I might have killed but it was not of my will. How could I kill Tsuna? There's no way I can…_

Anger was rising up within her. She was furious of herself. _No way._ She stopped herself from crying, she struggled of silence. But the rage she was feeling was increasing. She held herself… until her body won't move on her own accord. She couldn't breathe at first. She gasped for air. It was as if she was about to die but her mouth bellowed a loud scream. She couldn't stop herself. She continued screaming, no matter how she stopped herself, she can't halt her shouts. It was as if, her body volunteered to act on its own without her consent.

Her body vented out its misery, without her permission.

Then she felt someone's arm wrapped around her. It was her father.

"It's all right, Tsukiyo. Everything's going to be alright. You should take some rest. Trust me, Tsukiyo. I believe in you. You wouldn't hurt a family. I raised you with that, and you promised. You don't break your promises."

It was the one of those things she wanted to hear ever since her suffering. And somehow, those words calmed her.

_Someone said he trust me._ And with that thought, she drifted to her sleep.

Tsukiyo came back to her senses finding herself behind bars, but to her, it didn't matter. Maybe, she really deserved to be locked in there. She sighed finding herself in that dim-lighted room. Her father said he trusts her, then why would he lock her up? She didn't mind it though. Maybe, he had lied. She smiled bitterly. _How cruel… but I'm the cruelest. _She thought while remembering those memories that had come to her.

She observed the room where she was imprisoned. Its cold dark walls didn't even provide her warmth. And crueler than being imprisoned by her beloved family was that there was not even a bed or a blanket around. The cell was empty except for her presence.

_Hey, doesn't that mean they weren't going to keep you in this place for a long time?_ Said that part of her mind.

She leaned on the wall feeling so weak and she remembered the time when she was kidnapped by Rasiel and Fran. She was imprisoned back then, too. She smiled. Back then, the Varia saved her. Even Xanxus who seem not to care at all came. It was like a dream but those seemed so far away now.

Suddenly, she was trembling again. She cursed inside. "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it," she muttered, almost in the verge of crying. _I can't remember even doing those things and it felt so real. Damn it. _

"Done with talking to yourself, scum."

Tsukiyo looked at the man who was now standing outside her sect. He stood as authoritative as he always was.

"Xan-nii."

* * *

Sigh. Still no Bel.


	14. Chapter 14

I do now own KHR.

* * *

Xanxus just gave her a cold look. He couldn't forgive her. Because of her…

"I wish you never had appeared here, trash." He said it with much despise on his tone. He didn't care if she was trembling, or when those tears glistened from her eyes. She could just die for all he cares just like what he wished the last time they met back when she was six.

"Why didn't you kill them?" He continued, starting calmly.

Tsukiyo frowned at him.

He hated that look. He hated idiocy. He hated this girl who couldn't even use her power to avenge the death of those who had protected her.

"Don't give me that look, trash! Why didn't you kill Fiamma's murderers? Where did those flames of yours go? They disappeared, huh?" He was sarcastic and furious at that. He wanted to break in and kill her with his own hands but Fiamma died because of her, he died protecting her. If he kills her now, it would reflect the futility of Fiamma's actions. He didn't want that. Fiamma was always reliable. And furthermore, he didn't want to break his words to her arrogant father Iemitsu and his so called father Timoteo. Tsukiyo was under his care.

Fiamma was the only person he could trust. And now the bastard was gone.

Xanxus wasn't supposedly in the Vongola or the Varia. He never thought of joining the mafia. But when her mother saw that he had flames, she instantly met with Timoteo saying that he was of the same blood. That he was his son. And he believed that because Timoteo confirmed it. But he lied.

Before being a part of Vongola, he was a kid of the street. They were poor and he resorted to being a theft. He was eight back then, and he usually got involved in street fights. He always won. Maybe one of the reasons why his mother wants him out of her life was because of his troublesome delinquency, and not because the woman love him and was thinking of his wellness.

He met Fiamma while beating the crap out of an older boy who was the first to picked out the fight in the first place. Fiamma didn't stop him, he just watched him. Xanxus was annoyed at that. It feels like he was picking up a fight, too. Fiamma refused to fight him though, saying that he couldn't beat him at all. He lied, of course. Fiamma could easily pin him down the ground. The sixteen year old bastard was actually good with everything. He even showed him how to hold a gun and aim properly without missing. From then on, they were always together, like brothers always would.

If there's one thing that was peculiar of him, Xanxus would say it was his 'philosophical' side. Fiamma was always talking about life and everything about it, not like he cared but he listened. Maybe, he was the only one who listens to his thoughts. He was like his journal, after all. When he started residing in the Vongola mansion, it was a surprise to know that Fiamma was a part of them. He was pleased at that. And founding out a lot of things about the mafia world indeed impressed him, and that was the start of his ambitions. He wanted to rule the most powerful famiglia.

And if there's one thing more that was peculiar of their relationship, they hated each other but they were comrades. They were envious of each other's character and thus resulting to hatred. Xanxus doesn't have any concern of the world but himself and yet he regarded Fiamma as a higher person, even higher than Timoteo. He was just the right person he was looking for a good friend, nah, right hand man maybe.

But now, Fiamma is dead. He was killed, and his murderers didn't even indulge in their worthy punishment. He died because of a girl who was unworthy to live. He glared at her.

Tsukiyo didn't understand him at all, at first; but everything went clear. Why he was angry at her was because she wasn't able to help out Fiamma. Xanxus was right. If only she knew how to use her flames, she could have killed those men before they even got him. But she did nothing. She was useless. She watched him as he turned away. Noticing that she was all alone again made her feel even more miserable. _Heavens, what did I do to deserve this?_

__._._._._._._._._

Timoteo stood in front the prison of a man he will despise forever. He would like to kill him but that was like giving the doctor some mercy. This man didn't deserve any mercy at all. He had used a lot of innocent children on his experiments. He had used them like a guinea pig and was even insisting that it was for the good of Estraneo family. Timoteo was surprised though when he heard that this doctor was summoning his presence because he had something important to tell.

"So you came, Vongola Nono," the doctor started in a weak yet stubborn voice. He even managed to give a small grin. That man was lanky, and he looked really pitiful in his dirty ragged clothes.

Timoteo looked at him with no sympathy. "You called for me, I heard."

"Ah, yes, I did. About your external advisor's daughter it is."

Timoteo glared at him. "What do you know about Tsukiyo?"

"You see, Iemitsu isn't that protective of his family. My men were able to capture his precious daughter a lot of times when she was a kid," he said proudly and gave out a laugh.

Timoteo was losing his patience. "What did you do to Tsukiyo?" His voice was becoming demanding and tyrannical but the doctor didn't mind it at all. He wasn't losing that grin on his face.

"Oh, yes, little Tsukiyo was a charming kid, wasn't she?"

"Listen to me, I'll give you three minutes to say what exactly did you do to Tsukiyo," he started bargaining but the man raised an eyebrow.

"Haven't you seen her with such beautiful flames? I heard the Vongola's flame legacy. Too bad, I did a lot of research and found out about Iemitsu and his family. Seems like your children all died so they were useless and you don't expect me to experiment on dead bodies, yes?" He laughed again.

"I was very fascinated with that flame-characteristic of your famiglia so I wanted to see it and I wanted to do a couple of experimentation. I wanted those fiery amber flames to be mine but I failed. However, that failure had done some adjustments. Her flame turned dark, a complete mirror of the night sky. A complete opposite of your attribute, sky guardian. Those impure flames were just beautiful, don't you agree?"

Timoteo sighed, keeping his calm nature. He couldn't accept that. "By telling me this, what do you want?"

The man grinned. "I know you would listen. I heard you were a man who knows how to repay someone. What I want is mercy. Let me out of this prison."

Timoteo prepared to walk away. "Then, mercy it shall be."

The man's face suddenly brightened.

When Vongola Nono was out of the prisoner's area, he approached two men, both in black suites and told him his orders concerning the man convicted in the farthest and deepest part of the underground jail.

"Grant him mercy," he ordered coolly. But not forgetting to say, "Let him out of his cell first."

And underground, you can never hear the sound of bullets unless you're a prisoner down there, too.

* * *

Shishi. I made up something about Xanxus' past in here.


	15. Chapter 15

I do not own KHR.

* * *

It had been a long time since Tsukiyo thought she heard gunshots from the vicinity. Or maybe it was her mind, echoing her committed murder. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. These past days, she did nothing but cry and now she felt drained. She thought about it. Crying would get her nowhere. She wasn't that weak after all… _or am I? _She sighed. She had done that a thousand times, too. Nobody did even bother to pay her a visit except for the guards who brought her food and water. She had no idea how many days had it been that she was away from her real home. And she was still wearing the same maid uniform ever since she ran away from the Varia Headquarters. It was damp, making her even more uncomfortable.

She thought what if she didn't discover Tsuna and her dad being a part of the mafia. Maybe, she was enjoying her life indulging herself with brainwashing books and unending torment of school. And she didn't want any of those, too. But her usual life should have carried on…

She would always run into Tsuna and his friends, bully Lambo, quarrel with Gokudera about his theories regarding UMA's (Unidentified Mysterious Animal) or aliens, urge Yamamoto to let her eat free sushi in their restaurant, annoy Hibari and escape being bitten to death, convincing Kusakabe to have his hair cut because it's not the fad anymore, and more to come on her list.

It all sounds childish but that was all what she was doing to keep herself away from boredom and emptiness. Everything was becoming the usual and she was getting sick of it. Yes, she was tired of Reborn's antics and the unknown people stopping over their house. She wanted something new, something adventurous. She was always doing the same thing every day and 'being this and that' had become irritating.

But she dealt with it by ignoring it. There was no option to choose from but to continue living on, without reason. At those times, she had forgotten what her resolve was. She considered rebelling but her mind didn't let her. Of course, she had no reasons to do that. By the way, her resolve was protecting her family. That's what she promised to her father.

And then, Aria came. She told her a lot of things concerning her beloved little brother. And her mortal enemy, Reborn, send her to Varia to be their slave. And things were getting interesting. She met a lot of eccentric people. _People, tch, they don't seem to be one. They're demons in disguise, weren't they?_

"Unexpectedly, they all turned into this," she said to nobody. She just stared at nothingness, lifeless.

_._._._._._._.

Timoteo spoke to Iemitsu. He told her about Tsukiyo being held as captive by the Estraneo family. They were in his office, sitting in front of each other on the green leather-covered couches.

"At least, for now, we know why Tsukiyo's flame was like that. But I didn't think they were capable to infiltrate our private files," Timoteo said.

Iemitsu's face was upset. He shook his head. "I thought they were secured by just not getting involved with them. I didn't think they were after her."

"You didn't notice?"

"Before I decided to leave them, I noticed Tsukiyo was missing at times but we would always find her. She was talking about being with a man and seeing a lot of lights but I didn't pay much attention to it. She had always wandered around the neighborhood. She loves to take a walk at such a young age. So I thought she was just having fun strolling around. I didn't notice any strange behaviors from her."

"They were that good," Timoteo remarked. "But the Estraneo family was wiped out by an instant by Tsunayoshi's Mist Guardian, Mukuro Rokudo."

"Ninth, would you let Tsukiyo be released from the underground prison?" It was a question.

The Vongola boss gazed at him. "Tsukiyo's flame was merely altered. It wasn't her personality that was changed. She will be fine. But the Cavallone family had confirmed her betrayal in the future battle, Iemitsu. She killed Tsunayoshi. And it was said that she turned against the Vongola with a reason yet to be revealed. Are you okay with that?"

"I trust her. Until everything isn't clear, I want Tsukiyo out of that prison." This time it was a statement. It wasn't an order. It wasn't pleading.

Timoteo gave him a smile. "Do what you want. But there's something I want to appeal to you. Have Lal Milch to train Tsukiyo, Iemitsu."

"Why is that, Ninth? Isn't it better not to get her involved further?"

"She was already involved. Besides, it would burden her more to be ignorant on how to use her flames. She needs it. At this time, Tsukiyo might be blaming herself for Fiamma's death."

"I understand," he said, standing up.

"And also… I think we need to send Tsukiyo back to Varia," Timoteo added, watching him.

Iemitsu gave him a confused look. "Why is there a need for that?"

"Precautions. Lal Milch will take her time to visit Tsukiyo and train her by then. And also… if the Vendice found out about her, they might as well imprison her like Mukuro."

_._._._._._._.

Tsuna was staring at his math notebook for a long time. He wasn't listening to Reborn's lecture at all. The sun arcobaleno noticed this. Tsuna had been somewhat less lively since the time that he learned Tsukiyo killed him, in the future.

"Dame-Tsuna, you don't have the right to space out of your lecture. I'd give you the right when you can at least attain even Gokudera's half wit," he said, ready to detonate a bomb but was stopped when Tsuna spoke.

"Ne, Reborn, why do we have to be troubled about the future? That was the future battle, it won't happen anymore. Why do we have to condemn Tsuki-nee? I know her. She won't do something as cruel like that with no commendable reason," he said in a listless tone.

"True. So what do you want to do now, Sawada Tsunayoshi?"

He stared at Reborn. "I really don't have anything to do with this mafia… supposedly, but everyone's being dragged into this. Even Haru and Kyoko, and now, Tsuki-nee. I really don't want to be a mafia boss. I never dreamed of being one," he said earning a specialized kick from his hit man tutor. This time, he had a painful head bang with one of his room's beloved walls.

"Man, Reborn, when will you stop doing this to me?" He yelled and held that part of his head suffering from physical trauma.

"When you stop saying unnecessary things, dame-Tsuna. I was asking you what you want to do. I did not give you any permission to do some dramatic monologue in front of me."

_You jerk. _

"You should have some respect for your tutor, aye, Tsuna?" Reborn said and cocked his gun which was probably Leon who does all the transformation trick.

"Hiee! Hai, hai!" He replied quickly, showing how much he loved his life. But her face became serious, "Reborn, I want to see Tsuki-nee."

"And how will you do that?"

"We'll travel to Italy?" He asked. He knows Reborn. He wouldn't let him travel anywhere unless something had to be done.

"Are you asking me?"

"Was it not that obvious?" Tsuna attempted to deadpan but Reborn wasn't even a bit amused.

"I'm easy to talk to, dame-Tsuna."

"Then, we'll travel to Italy," he said, frowning at him and meeting his eyes. Tsuna didn't even believe that the arcobaleno would let him to do that.

Reborn gave him a smirk.


	16. Chapter 16

Belphegor was the one whom Xanxus ordered to fetch Tsukiyo from the Vongola Mansion. His boss was quite not pleased when he was giving him his orders. He just said that they were sending her back.

He halted in front of Tsukiyo's cell finding her leaning on the wall facing the cold iron bars. She was looking grim but she gazed to his direction upon noticing his presence.

"Shishishi. You aren't looking well, Tsu-chan." He grinned, pulling out the keys from his pocket. He unlocked wedge closing her in that space and entered.

Tsukiyo gave him a small smile. "Look who's here," she said and attempted to stand up but she wearily fell on her knees. Belphegor noticed something wrong. Tsukiyo was wheezing, like she was tired of running. He drew closer to her.

"You're sick," he said as he felt Tsukiyo's forehead with his palm. "And you're clothes are damp. They weren't taking good care of you, huh?" He said in a mocking tone, gripping her sleeve that Tsukiyo can tell he was angry. He carried her bridal-style and Tsukiyo did nothing to protest. She was out of vigor and she didn't notice that she slept.

Belphegor was feeling disappointed. It seems like Tsukiyo was left out in there – to die. He stared at her sleeping face, and something more mirrored in there. She was in pain, he can tell. He heard about Tsukiyo and the so-thought conspiracy regarding her betrayal. He suddenly felt resentment against the Vongola. The future hasn't come yet and here they are being problematic about it. And worse, Tsukiyo was suffering the most. Of course, he knew what she had done in the future but the future they were heading right now is a different one, right? They just have to prevent Tsukiyo from doing that act. Easy job.

He missed the girl. Even if she stayed in Varia for a short duration, he had somehow taken a liking at her. The primary reason, of course, was because of his naively cruel hobbies. Tsukiyo was the one of the best person he had ever pulled his skills on, or maybe just for plain entertainment. In other words, she was the target of his beloved intricately designed daggers. He also enjoyed watching Tsukiyo's expressions as he asks Marmon to hurl illusions at her, the way she tried to hide at places she thought was safe from him, and the way she avoids him and the other Varia officers.

But now he was holding the pitiable Tsukiyo in his hands.

And as much as he wanted to deny it, he didn't like the suffering she was going through. (As if he himself didn't add up to her miserable life.)

On the way out of that dark and cold underground prison, he stared at her pained sleeping face. She looked so fragile that he wanted to protect and cherish the girl in his hands.

Why would he really care about this girl? He asked his self.

_Maybe, because I like her._ He grinned at that thought. Since he met her, she liked the girl already, not in romantic sense but as a playmate. _I like her, huh?_

_._._._._._._.

Tsukiyo's eyes were closed but she knew she was out of the prison as she felt that her clothes were changed. It all felt comfortable now, physically, but she was mentally and emotionally in quandary. Just like the endless abyss her eyes were settled in.

She felt someone watching over her. Upon opening her eyes, she found it was no other than the grinning Belphegor.

"How do you feel now, Tsu-chan?" Tsukiyo missed that Cheshire grin of his. She had to admit that after all the rapid circumstances that happened to her.

She smiled at him but it felt different. The past incidents seemed to have lessened her mood of hilarity.

She sat up on the bed. "I'm fine now," she said. "Neh, Bel, you know these past days. I've been finding myself waking up at different places." She gave out a small laughter. But Bel didn't even laugh with her. He just grinned in amusement.

"Where am I?" She asked gazing around the room.

"Still in the Vongola Mansion," he replied.

"So I'm not in Varia?"

Belphegor didn't respond but to Tsukiyo she thought she heard his voice saying, "Obviously."

She sighed.

"Bel, when you killed your family, what did you feel?" It was an out-of-the-blue question. She herself didn't know why she asked that. But she wanted to know what others felt when they had killed their own family. To her, she only felt remorse.

Belphegor, on the other hand, was taken aback by the sudden question. "Shishishi. Bringing that now."

"I'm sorry if it was a sudden question," Tsukiyo apologized and turned her gaze away from him. "You can just forget I asked it."

"I forgot," he replied.

"Eh?" She stared at him in confusion.

"Maybe I was extremely happy," he said back again. Hearing that, Tsukiyo felt a cold shiver ran down her spine.

"Let me tell you a secret, Tsu-chan. The Vongola knows I'm a battle genius but actually I can only be that when seeing my own royal blood. I discovered it when I killed Rasiel, but unfortunately the bastard was alive."

Tsukiyo blinked. "And you killed your family because of that?"

"Who knows," came the immediate reply accompanied by an uncaring shrug of his shoulders. "Why bring up the past?"

Tsukiyo was silent. He was right, why bring up the past, but hers was…

She was lost. She was at lost. She really felt like a complete idiot without knowing what really was happening around her. Was she that naïve?

There was a knock on the door. Iemitsu and Basil entered the room. "Belphegor, may I have a talk with my daughter," Iemitsu said.

Belphegor just nodded and took a last gaze at Tsukiyo before he left without even saying goodbye. Basil even took his step outside after giving her his regards.

Tsukiyo didn't feel anything against his dad. Nah, that's impossible. Even though she felt like it was more like she was the one who failed him, she can't stop the feeling of grudge within. There were a lot of things they were not telling her. And here she was being so ignorant about things she should know. Nonetheless, Tsukiyo felt blameworthy.

"I'm sorry," they said in unison and silence followed. Iemitsu took a sit on a chair beside the bed.

"You must have a lot of questions running in your mind, yes, Tsukiyo?"

Tsukiyo just nodded. She had the feeling that once she speak, she might break out into tears. Of all people, she didn't want to look weak in front of his father. How could she show him that she was capable of protecting her family if she would look so sympathetic?

Iemitsu sighed. He ruffled her hair. "I'm sorry for letting you get into that prison without caring for your wellness. I didn't even think you were going to be sick. As your father, I failed," he said in an apologetic tone."I'd been careless."

"Y-yeah, you were," Tsukiyo remarked not looking at him. She took a deep breath and she was shaking. And Iemitsu knew she was crying. "D-dad, I saw Tsuna. I… I k-killed him. I don't even know why." It was hard to speak out those words. It felt like she was lying but in fact, she wasn't. She saw it clearly, what she had done. "I had these sudden memories… I don't even know where they came from. It doesn't feel me anymore. I'm losing myself."

Iemitsu felt her despair. She didn't know a lot of things about herself and he regretted sealing her memories from the past. It all felt like it was his fault. Tsukiyo's suffering was his own doing. And he had decided, he will tell Tsukiyo all the things that she should know.

He embraced her daughter. "Tsukiyo, I hope you won't change. Promise me you'll always be Tsukiyo no matter what you found out. Don't let these fast present swept the real you."

She stared at him. "Not change. Easy for you to say," she said in a mocking tone but she gave out a small smile. "I'll try."

Iemitsu smiled back. "What did I say regarding promises?" He wiped those tears flowing from her eyes.

"There's no 'I'll try'."

"So?"

"I will."

"That's my daughter," he replied, ruffling her brown hair again. What Iemitsu didn't know was that Tsukiyo was controlling the rage inside her. Of all things to ask, why must it be something hard to accomplish. To Tsukiyo, this was all part of a façade she didn't even know she was paranoid about. She didn't know what to do anymore so she just agreed with Iemitsu.


	17. Chapter 17

Left alone in the room provided for her in the Vongola mansion, Tsukiyo just lounged on her bed staring at the ceiling thinking of nothing in particular. And then she smiled. She knew why she killed Tsuna. Seems like a parcel of her future memory came to her. _Damn that little brother of mine._

But before those memories flowed into her, her father explained everything. The mafia, the Vongola, the flames, Tsuna, the future… and her. Of course, it was all astounding. She never expected getting mixed up with the mafia but here she was. Since she was a kid, she was involved. She never thought all of those could happen to her and at an instant, her life would change drastically. But just as her father said, she was a fast-settler. She can easily adapt but she was still a human. She can still feel anger towards them; at least, she was good at controlling it.

She promised her dad not to change, and she doesn't break her promises but how can she not change after all that had happened? That promise itself violates being unbreakable. Beyond human limitations, it does.

Estraneo's gone, the future suddenly became the past, Tsuna – whether he likes it or not – will be the Vongola's next boss, and she was stumbling down. However, the Vongola wasn't aware of some fluctuation on Tsukiyo's personality. She will not always be her. She will not stay as the same person as she was.

For the time being, she was busy contemplating why they were sending her back to Varia as her father told her. And also, there was something she had promised to herself – she will find Fiamma's killers and take revenge. Maybe, that's one of the things that had changed.

She didn't tell anyone yet the reason why she had betrayed Vongola. She thought it wasn't necessary anymore. She was branded a traitor and locked up. It was at least worthy to keep it from them to reciprocate her suffering. And this was the change her father was talking about, she wanted to get even. She wanted retribution.

She was waiting for Belphegor. They said the infamous Prince the Ripper was going to take her back to the Varia headquarters. Come to think of it, she thought. She never thought of Varia's epic conducts for a while.

And then Xanxus entered her mind. The man was angry at her for letting Fiamma die and worst, letting his killers get away. She sighed. Maybe, going back to Varia wasn't a good idea. Just thinking of taking her first step in the headquarters was bloodcurdling.

She closed her eyes. Maybe, a little nap would at least calm her system. She didn't know how many seconds was her nap (as if seconds of nap are even considered as catnap) when she heard various movements inside her room. She sat up and found Bel sitting on the chair beside the bed. His face was still marked with that Cheshire grin of his.

"Ready to go, Tsu-chan?" He asked, tossing one of his intricately designed knifes up in the air and seizing it again without getting cut. If that was for some kind of entertainment, Tsukiyo would misunderstand since Bel providing her that was impossible. She had gotten suspicious. Maybe, Bel would try to throw that knife to her like what he had always been doing in the Varia Headquarters.

He seemed to notice her gaze following the direction of his knife, to and fro. He knew what she was thinking, and so he kept it, though he was amused by Tsukiyo's sudden wariness.

"We're still in the Vongola Mansion. Your father might kill me and misunderstand that I was threatening your life. Fathers have soft spots for their daughters, after all. Shishishi."

She stood up, raising an eyebrow. She fixed her black suit which Basil lent her. "Oh, really? How'd you known that?"

"Shishishi. Let's get moving then," he said, ignoring her question. He went behind her and held her shoulders pushing her out of the room.

"Hey, why are you so worked up with this?" Tsukiyo asked turning to face him, frowning.

"You really want to know?" He asked, thought-provoking her. His face nearing just inches apart from hers.

_Because you like me and you want me back to Varia. _She didn't say it aloud. Her mind just shouted it. She turned against him in order to hide her reddened face.

"Seems like I got the idea," her mouth said and at that time, she wanted to hit herself. Who on earth would reply such an evident narcissism? _You. _It was her mind again. And she continued clashing mentally with herself.

"Shishishi. Hahahaha!" This time, it was Tsukiyo's turn to be amused. Bel just laughed, his hand seizing his hair as if he doesn't want somebody to see his laughing face. His laughter was different from that shishishi-ing. It was more pleasant than that. "Tsukiyo Sawada, you're really something," he grinned.

And she was blushing more. "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up," she muttered as she continued to get away from him.

Tsukiyo and Belphegor didn't notice Timoteo watching them, a smile of amusement mirrored in his face. When they were gone, Timoteo spoke.

"The boy was right, Iemitsu. Fathers have soft spots for their daughter."

Iemitsu stepped out from the shadows. "You're really sly, Ninth."

"Tsukiyo's growing up, Iemitsu. I wonder who's going to be her groom when that day comes," Timoteo deadpanned but insinuated something to Iemitsu who just watched his back as he traced back his steps to his office.

"Well, that's not for me to decide, is it?" Iemitsu sighed.


	18. Chapter 18

"Tsu-chan!" Came the riotous voice of Lussuria accompanied by a bone-crushing hug. Man, she hated that. But still Lussuria was the same. He was always gay. She missed him either way.

"Yo, Lus-nee. Long time, no see." She smiled at him and it suddenly faded when she saw Lussuria pulling out a handkerchief out of nowhere and wiping her eyes which were overflowing with tears. "I thought you were never coming back. It's been quite lonesome here without you."

_I think I want to go back in the Vongola Mansion._

"By the way, Tsu-chan, an hour ago, a visitor came to see you. She said she's going to wait for you at the garden right beside the fountain," Lussuria informed him.

"She?" Tsukiyo asked. And much to her surprise, a visitor already? Even so, she went to meet this so called guest. She was thankful Xanxus, Levi, Squalo and Marmon wasn't in the quarters at that time. Lussuria said they were out for a mission. Or maybe, Xanxus didn't like to be in the same area with her. She shooed those thoughts anyway. If Xanxus did want that, he can kick her out of the headquarters already.

Belphegor already left him with Lussuria. He excused his self and proceeded to his room. He was tired, maybe. But then again, Belphegor was actually a lazy person. She remembered back when she cleaned his room. It was like his room was messed up by a ten thousand windstorms that she almost gave up the hard labor.

There was no one around in the garden. She looked around the place but still she can't find anybody in there. Suddenly, she heard a shot of a gun and turned quickly to its direction and what she witnessed made her body move on its own hurdling it down to the ground. There was a kid pointing a gun at her. She had a short midnight blue-colored hair and she was wearing red-tinted goggles which made the color of her eyes indistinguishable. She was wearing a dirty white cape designed with seemingly red flames at its rim.

She looked at her in surprise and stood up from her fallen position. _By any chance, is she Reborn's sister or something?_ She side-thought.

"Not bad, but that was pure luck, Sawada Tsukiyo," she said. Her voice was strict, quite authoritative. "I'm Lal Milch. You're father might not have told you about me but I'm going to be your tutor," she added, talking excellently like what exactly a good teacher does. She was serious. She cleared, without speaking, that she wasn't there for friendly purposes. She was there just to train her.

"You're kidding, right?" Tsukiyo's thoughts slipped out. With that statement, she knew she was thrown a lethal glare from her new tutor and that made her thought if Reborn was like that to Tsuna.

"I'm not sent here to talk nonsense with you. And we are starting your training. Right here, right now. Now tell me. What do you know about your flames?"

Tsukiyo did not answer. She didn't have the spirit to tell that she knew nothing about her flames. She didn't even know how to use it nor summon it. All she knew was that she once used it to take a lot of lives and damages.

She heard Lal Milch sighed. "Then let's start with the very basic. Do you know how to call your flames?"

Tsukiyo shook her head, looking at her, giving her a sheepish grin which the latter didn't found amusing at all.

"I was speaking, wasn't I? Why can't I hear any response from you? Are you mute?" She asked in a voice hinted with annoyance.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to summon my flames, sir! I mean, ma'am!" She spoke quickly, much to her demands.

"What's your resolve?" Her austere tutor blasted her again another question.

Tsukiyo just stared at her. "I want to protect my family," she answered in a certain attitude. She saw Lal Milch smirked.

"You're really brother and sister – Tsunayoshi and you," she commented. "However, I think that is not your resolve, Tsukiyo."

She was perplexed. If not protecting her family wasn't her resolve, then what it is?

"Why do you say that?" Tsukiyo asked. _How would you even know that?_

"Look at it, Tsukiyo. You have been with people who, even in a short time, became a family for you. Fiamma, for an instance, why didn't your flames show up when you wanted to protect him?"

Hearing Fiamma's name struck her being. She didn't know if it was her pride hurting or her heart and mind fighting each other saying how futile could she get. That could only mean two things. One, her so-thought resolve is not true. Two, she didn't have any will to save Fiamma.

"If you don't believe me, then let's give your so-called resolve into test," she heard Lal Milch. She tossed a long blackish metallic staff to her. "Hold that. Think of your own resolve. Concentrate. The challenge for you here let the flames flow onto it."

Tsukiyo stared at her in incredulity. "But that sounds impossible."

"How would you know if you don't try," her tutor replied back, shrugging her shoulders.

Tsukiyo did as instructed. First, she relaxed and cleared her mind. Taking some deep breaths, she tried to concentrate deeper but there was nothing, not even a spark. She was staring intently at staff but it was a futile act. No evidence of flame.

"Hey, I haven't seen my flames for quite a long time. Maybe, I had lost it already," Tsukiyo said her opinions to her. Suddenly, the kid jumped onto her shoulders, slapping her in the face.

"What was that for?" Tsukiyo asked, holding her cheeks which Lal Milch attacked.

"Punishment, Sawada Tsukiyo. If I know that your flames disappeared then I shouldn't be here, training you now, you got the point of that?"

Tsukiyo blinked. The kid had the point. But still was there a need to slap her? That freakin' hurt.

"That's it for the day," Lal Milch said. "I can't train you properly without your flames, Tsukiyo. Find your real resolve first." She emphasized the word 'real'.

And then she left Tsukiyo who took a few steps to take a shade under a tree. It was near noon but Tsukiyo didn't spend time to be aware of the moment. What she was busy about was thinking of her resolve.

Not to protect her family? That's new wasn't it? That's the only resolve she can think of. Nothing more.

"Shishishi. Having a hard time, Tsu-chan," she heard the familiar voice breaking into her jam of thoughts.

"Oh, so you noticed?" She asked in a mocking tone. She sighed. Every now and then, Belphegor was seemingly popping out of nowhere. Oh well, she was used to it.

"Bel, what's your resolve?" She asked him, hoping that his answer might give her a clue.

"I don't need those," he replied haughtily. Tsukiyo wanted to hit him for that wonderful answer but she restrained herself.

"Then let me rephrase the question, mister. Why are you still alive, until now?" She was still gazing at him. Surprisingly, Bel stared back at her intently and then he turned his back taking a seat on the grassy ground near her. After which, he lied down, his hands at the back of his head serving as his cushion from the ground.

"You…" There was a long pause at his answer, that if Tsukiyo wasn't aware of Belphegor's attitude, she might take that statement in a different manner.

She raised an eyebrow, but she can't stop the flushing color on her cheeks.

_Geez, thanks, Bel. You're really a big help._ She thought to herself sarcastically.

"…you'll never know," he continued.

She sighed at that. And she looked above her to the leaves protecting her eyes from the blinding lights of the sun.

"…_who cares about the world? Sometimes, you just need to be selfish. That's the way of living. Without selfishness, there is no charity." _She remembered Fiamma told her.

"Without selfishness, there is no charity," she repeated to herself, and eventually heard by Belphegor.

"You're right at that," Belphegor agreed. "Tsukiyo, be honest with yourself. If you do, you'll find your resolve is. No matter how awful your resolve is, remember they can be changed."

Tsukiyo stared at Belphegor. Now, he was the one to talk but for him to say something like that was pretty novel. It was unlike him.

She just smiled at his napping position. In a way, Belphegor was becoming way cooler than before.

"Honesty, deviance and resolve," Tsukiyo uttered. "Those words don't go together."

"They don't," Belphegor approved. "However, life's really that twisted. You'll never know what really are well-suited for something."

Tsukiyo was silent, her thoughts drifting to a deep shape.

"Frankly, Tsukiyo, what's your resolve?" She heard him asked.

"You're a genius, aren't you? Weren't you just helping me finding what my true resolve is and you have the guts to question me that."

"Shishishi."

In a deep thought of hers, Tsukiyo looked for her real reason, obliterating all other confusions amalgamating inside her head. She closed her eyes leaning uncomfortably on the tree trunk.

"Besides, why would I tell that to someone who doesn't want to talk about his resolve?"

_Resolution can be changed, right?_


	19. Chapter 19

Tsukiyo was holding the metallic staff Lal Milch gave her, and at the moment, her tutor was watching with her arms crossed. She was waiting for Tsukiyo to do the test she was talking about.

Tsukiyo took a deep breath. _Concentrate. Think of my own resolve. Concentrate._ _Vent it on the staff… Now!_

Lal Milch thought she couldn't do it but she was surprised by the sudden expenditure of black flames from Tsukiyo. Her flames had melted the staff. That staff should not thaw even at an intense flame. That staff was specialized by the Vongola Family as Iemitsu ordered. It was supposed to be fire-retardant that it can even stand a Vongola Flame but as she remembered, Tsukiyo's flame was altered by the Estraneo. She felt a little disgusted but she managed to threw it away. Iemitsu must have really planned to give that staff to Tsukiyo as a weapon but now it's gone.

Only a true intense flame with a reciprocated resolve would have done that. Really, Tsukiyo and Tsunayoshi were always surprising her.

Tsukiyo, on the other hand, was expecting one immense whack from her tutor but nothing came.

"Tsukiyo, what's your resolve?" She heard her asked instead.

Tsukiyo hesitated to answer. If she answered, it would show that her acts were a sham. She felt uncomfortable. It all contradicted her first so-thought resolve. She gazed at her tutor and the kid-woman was waiting impatiently for her answer.

"R-revenge," she said, closing her eyes. She just hoped Lal Milch would let her answer pass.

"You wanted revenge that bad, huh, Tsukiyo?" Lal Milch said emphasizing the very word of her resolve, as if mocking her. But somehow, there was not a tone of dissatisfaction from her. "That's something for a determination," she said, and Tsukiyo heard laughter from her. "We're almost the same, Tsukiyo. Almost the same," she commented and gazed at her, halting from her hilarity.

"You can never lie from a tutor."

Tsukiyo just blinked at her. "You know?"

"Of course, I do. But that isn't my business anymore. Well then, let's continue with your training."

"Yes sir, I mean ma'am!" She stood up attentively like a soldier would do. She could give her a salute if the kid-woman wanted to.

"At least you know now how to summon your flames but still you can't control them. You failed the first challenge I ever gave you."

Tsukiyo didn't respond.

"Tsukiyo, I might as well give up on you." That statement even weighed her being. She can't help but look at Lal Milch with a cheerless mood.

"Don't get me wrong. I know someone who can be more of a help to you. It's not me you needed, Tsukiyo," she continued, making Tsukiyo baffled. After minutes of complete silence, Lal Milch suggested they go back to Varia Headquarters. Tsukiyo asked if Lal Milch would want to have a lift on her shoulders but the latter refused. Their journey back to the quarters was silent but that meant nothing.

She already took his step inside Varia's grounds after watching Lal Milch set off to the Vongola Mansion. She traced her steps to the kitchen, where Lussuria always was but she halted in front Xanxus' room. She wanted to talk to him but she had nothing to say to him at all. She sighed. If Fiamma didn't die…

_._._._._._._._._._

After the travel from the Varia Headquarters, Lal Milch met up with Timoteo the minute she stepped into the Vongola Mansion.

"Ninth, I guess it would be better for Tsukiyo to learn from that guy," she suggested to him. It might be an absurd proposition but if it was Tsukiyo they were talking about, things will turn out properly.

He sighed. "Birds of the same feather flock together. That's what the old saying says, and unfortunately, no matter how old it has been, it's always right," Timoteo said, resting his chin on the back of his palm. His elbows were resting on his mahogany table. "However there's always another side of that story. Disloyalty will always interfere with bonds created. That is why transcending others is inevitable. We don't know what the both of them are capable of doing, Lal Milch. We're risking the safety of Vongola."

"It's a cruel situation for such a young kid like Tsukiyo, however, I take her father's word. I can see her bizarre adaptability at its best. She can deal with Byakuran. Besides, if both of them will impose problem we will have no choice but kill them both," Lal Milch spoke.

Timoteo sighed upon hearing the name. Yes, they were supposed to seal Byakuran's memories but they did not. What they just have to prevent was his earthly ambition of ruling the world. Byakuran's compliance with the Vongola showed he was disinterested with his past obsessive goal thus, making him a present collaborator of Vongola. And the Millefiore will never be established again. At least, that's what they see in the present Byakuran.

"I'm leaving her training to you, Lal Milch. Do what you think might be best for her. Be it having Byakuran as his mentor," Timoteo said, voicing out his decision. He hadn't completely trusted Byakuran yet but he had the same flame type with Tsukiyo. With him, Tsukiyo might learn a number of techniques. He might understand Tsukiyo the best. Or yet, if Tsukiyo's memories from the future had taken into her, they'll never know what she was capable of, or what might happen.

They need to get moving. They really need to find out why Tsukiyo betrayed the Vongola. If it's true that Tsukiyo was innocent, who then might have pushed her to kill Tsuna? Or was it another person?


	20. Chapter 20

Tsukiyo couldn't understand Belphegor at all. She was having her stroll around the Varia Headquarters when he appeared, making her the usual target of his custom-built blades. And as usual, out of instinct, she managed to avoid all the knives but she couldn't understand where the small wounds in her hands, legs, even in her face came from. That was what when she saw the wires glistening in the sun's beam.

"Belphegor, are you really that angry at me?" She asked him, out of her temper.

Belphegor showed his self to Tsukiyo who was now leaning on the walls because of her surprised cuts which she didn't know how it came to her until she saw those barely noticeable wires.

"Shishishi. Don't blame me. Lal Milch asked me to do some training with you," he defended, not losing that stupefying grin in his face.

"And you call this proper training?" She asked, glaring at him.

"Hey, the kid didn't emphasize something like 'proper' training. I was just doing what I was asked to do," he deadpanned, earning an exasperated sigh from Tsukiyo.

_You've been making me the bull's eye for your beloved daggers and now you found even found a seemingly appropriate alias for it. _

"Training?" She asked sarcastically, closing her eyes for the sudden feeling of tiresomeness.

Belphegor can see the changes in Tsukiyo. He didn't know if the others had noticed it but apparently Tsukiyo was being ruder every time he met her. He didn't mind though. Belphegor strode towards her and was about to carry her when Tsukiyo took a considerable distance away from him.

"Shishishi. Tsu-chan, if you're going to take a rest here, you might catch a cold."

"Who are you? My mother?" She deadpanned, not even looking at him.

This time, before she could even avoid him, Belphegor sat down beside her. She tried to stand but Belphegor held her down. She didn't like those feelings whirling inside of her at all. She can hear her heart, throbbing. She convinced herself it was because she was afraid of further injuries he would give her but she can't deceive herself. Hyper intuition. She should know better than anyone else. She shook her head as if discharging those unpleasant thoughts.

"You miss your mom, don't you?" He asked all of a sudden, earning Tsukiyo's attention.

"Oh so people like you can notice that, huh?" She asked back, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll take that as a yes then, Tsu-chan but I tell you family ties only make one weak. That's why I killed mine."

Tsukiyo didn't like him at all, she said to herself. And to hear someone bad-mouthing a family, she couldn't take that.

This time, Tsukiyo stood up, wincing in pain, grabbing the collar of his black Varia Jacket with her both hands. "You bastard!"

He, too, stood up, as if following where her hands will whirl him. She was pushing him to the wall. Belphegor wasn't fighting back. He was just observing the wrath on her eyes but she looked down. He saw her shoulders trembling, and he knew he was crying. He can see the tears falling.

He wanted to argue with her. Her family had doubted her, locked her up, and done unacceptable things to her but they were still that significant for her. Isn't that martyrdom? But when he saw tears flowing from her eyes, he couldn't help his self. She was hurting and he didn't like that. And partly, he blamed his self.

He felt the grip on his jacket loosened. He lifted his hands and grabbed her towards him, enclosing her in his arms.

"Go ahead. Cry whatever you need to cry. For once, Tsukiyo, rely on someone, will you?" He whispered, as he stroke her hair.

Tsukiyo was somewhat surprised at that but she managed to give out a small smile which was not seen by Belphegor. Tsukiyo remembered how she felt forlorn ever since she learned about the mafia. She lost her conviction to anything. She thought mistrust was common so she carried her own burdens, earning independence for herself. She stood alone because that's what she felt. She was left on her own, abandoned. But here was Bel, helping her out from that abyss.

"Can I rely on you then, Bel?" She asked. She felt his embraced relax. He held her shoulders and made her face him.

"You are now," he said, lifting up her chin.

"T-thanks," she mumbled as she retracted her gaze from him, trying to conceal her red face.

"This, at least, I can do for the girl I like." Being said that, Tsukiyo stared at her in bewilderment. At that instant, Belphegor pulled her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Tsukiyo didn't move. He just stared at the guy grinning before her. Belphegor's demeanor and that situation were out of the blue.

She waited. She waited for him to say something like, "Just kidding."

But there was none.


	21. Chapter 21

"Tsukiyo, you'll be meeting your new mentor now. I presume you may know him, not personally though," Lal Milch said. However, Tsukiyo's mind was flying somewhere. Right when Belphegor confessed to him, if the Varia's storm guardian wasn't joking that is. And what was more embarrassing was that, she fainted before him.

Lussuria told her it was Bel who carried her to her room, and it made her feel more humiliating. Who the hell would faint after they were being confessed to? But she was thankful for that because she didn't know what to say to him. She sighed.

"Oi, are you even listening!" Lal Milch slapped her face, making her flew out of her thoughts. That really hurt, she wanted to cry.

"Geez, Lal, you don't have to slap me," Tsukiyo remarked. Lal Milch had gotten somehow annoyed by being called 'sir' followed by a sudden 'ma'am' from Tsukiyo so she settled her with her name.

"Oh, there's your new mentor," Lal Milch said, pointing at a certain figure. He had a white spiky hair and light purple eyes. He also had a violet tattoo under his left eye. He was leaning on the tree, his arms crossed. Obviously, the guy had been there for a long time, waiting for them.

"Sorry for the wait, Byakuran. Tsukiyo here was sort of slow," Lal Milch apologized to him. Upon seeing them, the guy flashed them a smile like it didn't bother him. Though to Tsukiyo, the apology was very formal, she can't say if they were enemies or not but she'll settle with enemies. Lal Milch was giving Byakuran a serious look while the latter was busy smiling back at them.

Tsukiyo blinked. She couldn't believe this person was right in front of him. Maybe, she's having some illusions because of the sun's heat but Lal Milch just called his name.

"Byakuran!" She hissed. Her flames ready to riot but Lal Milch stopped her.

"Listen, Tsukiyo. He's going to be your mentor," her former tutor said.

"What? Nobody told me about this!" She shouted in a response implying protest.

"Shut up!" Lal Milch raised her voice, too. "I was telling you about it, a while ago. It isn't my fault someone's not listening!" Lal Milch ran out of patience, too.

Both of them heard Byakuran's laughter, and both shot him a glare which made his merriment be gone.

"Hmph. I'm leaving her to you, Byakuran. The physical training will be left to me. You teach her how to deal with her flames," Lal Milch said and left in a matter of milliseconds. Now, it was only Tsukiyo and Byakuran.

"Hello, Tsukiyo. Is this the first time we've met?" He asked, as if not knowing the real deal regarding their situation.

"No, I think not. Our first meeting was in the future. When you ordered me to kill my little brother Tsunayoshi," she answered sarcastically.

Their talk was bizarre that if someone ignorant of what really happened ten years later with the Millefiore family heard them, he would say their time awareness was off. Entangling the past, present and future was a sign of insanity.

Byakuran smiled in amusement. "But I didn't know you would actually do it. I want to know what made you betray Vongola, Tsu-chan."

"Once I accomplish what I need to do, maybe, I'll tell you," Tsukiyo said. No, she really didn't have any intention to tell that to anyone. Byakuran wasn't an exception. She didn't like those memories at all. _Tsuna was really irritating in the future._

"It's a deal then," Byakuran said. "I don't care whatever you need to be accomplished. I was just asked by the Ninth to train you. No sweat. And I was getting bored, too. I hope we'll have much fun, Tsu-chan."

Tsukiyo was surprised to hear that they sent him to train her. What were they thinking, she didn't know. And that was when she realize, why is there a need to train her. If her flames would impose much trouble to Vongola, why help her improve her skills?

She just gazed at Byakuran who was giving her that annoying smile. She'd prefer Belphegor's Cheshire grin, her thought said.

_._._._._._._._.

Tsukiyo's back hit a large trunk of tree. She fell on the grassy ground, looking badly injured. She was covered with cuts and blood was dripping from her left shoulder. She felt the warm ooze of blood from the side of her lips. She can even taste blood. She wiped her mouth with her bruised hands.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Byakuran asked, frowning at him. "I told you to cast a certain weapon inside your mind, not blew yourself with your flames," he scolded. The man strode towards her, his arms stuck in his pocket reflecting his carefree attitude.

"It's not that easy, you marshmallow-bastard!" She shouted back, wincing in pain. Byakuran shook his head, surprise that she still have the energy remaining to shout back at him.

"Well, this took so much time. I thought it was going to be an easy job that's why I took only a few packs of marshmallows," he said, followed by a sigh.

"I'll do it again," Tsukiyo said, trying to stand up firmly despite her bad facet. She was ignoring all his retorts regarding marshmallows. He hadn't lost his fetish with that soft spongy candy. It was getting in the way of her training. Imagine that, Byakuran even once ordered her to run back to Varia Headquarters just to get some Marshmallows. She almost beat him up.

"Then at least do it right," she heard him said.

_Then at least train me properly, you lazy-ass._

Her eyes narrowed at Byakuran's comment. He was ordaining him to do things right but he didn't even show him any demonstration how she could do it. He just gave him the instructions and it was all up to her now. They had the same flame type, right?

Tsukiyo shot him a useless lethal glare.

"Tsu-chan, tell me exactly. What weapon are you thinking of?" He asked, curious as why she was so hard up in shaping her flame even into small dagger-like flares. He heard she had done it once when she was a kid but here was the infamous little girl who couldn't even control her flames.

Tsukiyo frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"

Byakuran almost wanted to hit her head. "Were you even listening, idiot? I told you to shape your flame into a weapon you'd like to take hold of. What were you doing all those times?"

"You should have seen the look on your face, Byakuran. I was just kidding. I'm not that stupid," Tsukiyo said, letting out an impolite laughter. Byakuran was a calm person but seeing his patience ran out was a new people on Tsukiyo's list that she had irked much.

"I'm amused that someone in such a bad shape could still joke around. Now tell me, what weapon were you thinking about?"

"A scythe," came the direct reply. Byakuran raised an eyebrow.

Tsukiyo knew what Byakuran was thinking. She was fond of that epitome of death, Grim Reaper.

"Whatever you were thinking, that's not true. Mind your own business, marshmallow-bastard!"

Byakuran sighed. "Look at yourself first, Tsu-chan. Let's have those uncalled-for cuts be treated." _I don't want to be killed by your beloved father_. He carried her bridal style causing Tsukiyo to blush, but still she was giving him that disgusted expression.

"It's not like I wanted to carry you," he reasoned out. "If I don't carry you, our travel towards the Varia Headquarters would take some time." _In other words, you're slowing me down._

Of course, Tsukiyo knew he implied that. And as much as she wanted to kick him, she can't because of her injuries and the foremost weariness gone into her.

_._._._._._.

The next training sessions had gone fine. Little by little, she can shape her flames into scythe but still she can't hold on to it longer that she was on the verge of giving up.

On the other hand, Lal Milch had trained her physically. She was fine with it since she wasn't that clumsy at all. She can control her movements. And she needs more confidence when attacking. It was just that Lal Milch was a deceiver. The kid-woman would shot her with her gun, which surprisingly she could dodge out of instinct. In fact, almost all her surprise attacks was avoided because of instinct. If she didn't have hyper intuition, maybe, she was dead and the Vongola should be regretting what they had done to her. Scratch that. Maybe, they can even breath of relief.

She heard Byakuran sighed. "Fine, then. You can do it eventually. I'll teach you something interesting. Do you want to fly?"

Tsukiyo gave him a perplexed look. "Of course I do. Why'd you ask? You'll teach me?" She snickered.

He just smiled. "Everything that I'll teach you isn't something for offense but they will come in handy. They're for controlling your flames, Tsu-chan. Once you control your flames, the offense sets in."

Tsukiyo's shoulders slumped. If it was for controlling her flames, it has to do with shaping her flames again. _What? He's going to tell me to think of a pair of wings._

"Seems like you're getting the basic idea in here," he remarked, as if he had read her mind.

"Hey, I might burn myself with that! You want me to die that badly, huh?"

"That's a shame, Tsu-chan. To be burned by your own flames is like being betrayed by your own famiglia," Byakuran said, not minding any violent reactions from her. After all, that was what he was after. He wanted to see what she was capable of, with her hatred clouding her resolve.

Tsukiyo went silent after hearing Byakuran's words. Consequently, she thought, not trusting her flames was like mistrusting her family. But whose fault is it in the first place? She doesn't want to blame anybody, not even herself.

Anger was stirring inside of her. From the ground where she was standing, jet black flames moved like vines appearing at a remarkable speed. They swirled around her. A strong jet of wind played around the place. Tsukiyo was standing unharmed however Byakuran had taken some defensive measures using his flames to protect him from her sudden outburst.

"I think I've gone too far," he said to no one but his self. But there was not a fear on his face. He was just observing her.

The surrounding trees had fallen down, leaves waved everywhere but majority was turned to ash by the intensity of her coal-colored flame.

Tsukiyo didn't feel her control over her flames. It was the other way around; she was the one being controlled. She closed her eyes. She was tired already.

She was tired of this mafia business she had stumbled into. She didn't want anything to do with the Vongola anymore. She could die for all she cares. It was all meaningless. She can't find any meaning of what she was doing.

_Why would I need to be trained? It's not like there's something I could do with it. Wouldn't I use it to kill again? To take lives? I felt like I've been betrayed, but to them, I am the traitor. This is meaningless. _

_But…_

She told herself once. She won't let herself be controlled anymore. She hated being controlled. She had other things still to be accomplished. She remembered how she got involved with this – Reborn and Varia. She remembered Fiamma and Felicity, the way they died. She remembered being imprisoned in that dark place. The future wherein she killed Tsuna.

She opened her eyes.

"I won't submit," she muttered to herself. "I won't submit to these flames." Slowly, her black flames became less vicious. But they were fighting back. It was like a wave, at times, it will soften but suddenly it will intensify. It took for a while until its intensity had diminished to seemingly harmless force until it completely disappeared. Now, she was just standing alone in a messed up place.

"Byakuran," she called to the person hiding at the shadows of the trees. "You must be proud," he heard her say. Byakuran had no idea if Tsukiyo was mocking him. However, mocking or not, Tsukiyo had successfully controlled her flames. She suppressed them the moment they were about to rampage.

He knew. He doesn't need to come over again. Tsukiyo will be fine. Lal Milch will have to train her physically though. But still, Tsukiyo's eyes were full of resentment. She was still looking for vengeance. And Byakuran wondered why the Vongola had decided a huge mistake. The Tsukiyo he sees now is an unforgiving one. A lot different from the Tsukiyo he saw ten years later.


	22. Chapter 22

Tsukiyo knew she had successfully taken over her flames despite loathing her attribute. The first step was just controlling her flames, she thought. With that, she can establish her own offense. She gave herself a smirk. With this, she will be able to avenge Fiamma's death. Not only Fiamma's but also Felicity's and their soon to be child.

Lal Milch and Byakuran had been helpful, of course. If it wasn't because of them, she would not know how to control her flames nor how to attack an opponent.

Treading her way towards her room, an unexpected meeting with Xanxus was set up by her nemesis named unluckiness. She halted right on track, not even looking at him.

As the usual greeting, Xanxus was glaring at her. She felt the weighing stares he was giving her and she knew it all regarded Fiamma. She can't blame him. She was that useless back then. She wasn't able to save Fiamma.

He walked silently towards her and all of a sudden, Xanxus pinned her to the wall. Her body almost broke at the sudden impact. His grip was unyielding, showing no sympathy even Tsukiyo was trembling. She could fight but she didn't have the will. She was scared.

"I wouldn't have minded if Fiamma died. But to know that you let his killers get away was more resentful," he said in a tone blaming her. "To think that that old man would return you here. I thought he would know better. We don't need thrash in Varia. Are they not even thinking that they are risking Vongola?" He asked, an evident sarcasm in his voice. "Or maybe, because they know that we can freely kill you once you are proven to impose threat." He smirked.

It wasn't only her pride that was marred. Her whole being was. He was pushing her to her uselessness, to her weakness. Putting the blame of betrayal on her.

On her right hand, her shadowy flames started to appear. It yielded into a scythe, taking its place in her grip. She attempted to slash him but before she could even succeed, Xanxus' bright amber flame got in the way. He took his step away from her. Tsukiyo's eyes reflected rage. He had no right to judge her. He didn't know what she was feeling. He didn't know what she'd been through.

"Oh, so you're fed up, huh? Now you want to kill me. " Xanxus mocked, frowning at her and the flame scythe she was taking hold of. "Isn't this an evidence that you are betraying Vongola, Sawada Tsukiyo?"

"Who cares about the Vongola?" She asked giving him a smirk, mocking back at him. Before even Xanxus could make up his mind killing her, Tsukiyo jumped out the closest window her eyes had set to.

Xanxus just followed her with his gaze as he watched her stature disappear in the darkness. Tsukiyo was headed to the forest, the infamous Death Mountain.

She had enough of it. They were making her feel so useless. Her resiliency had toppled. If Xanxus was that angry at her for letting Fiamma's killer live, then she will kill night, she will find Fiamma's killers. They will die. Their death will be carried by no other than her.

_._._._._._._._.

Those men had lived in Death Mountains for a long time. They were convicts of Vongola that had been thrown into the Death Mountains to die. But here they are, striving for survival. They kill in order not to be killed. That was always the rule in the mafia. That's why in a world like this, mercy shouldn't exist. To put it bluntly, mercy was another word for death.

That's why they killed Fiamma Astretto. He was a foolish man thinking that he could gain their trust. They knew after all, Fiamma was going to kill them. They just stepped ahead first.

_._._._._._._.

Tsukiyo knew that those men were prisoners of Vongola. She already got used to the cruelty existing in the mafia. Adaptability was it?

In mafia, there was a thing called retribution which was inevitable. Once you had taken a life, retribution was the consequence. That was why they continue to annihilate each other – to avenge the life of the other. It was a never-ending cycle and Tsukiyo had accepted it. Not in a blind way. The world was like that. From the beginning, it was vindictive life. The world itself had no plans to open its eyes. It will be blinded as long as the people in it continue to act so.

With the pressure of her flames playing with the wind, she had successfully floated in the air. She had successfully mastered what Byakuran told her to think of her flames as wings on her back but she thought it was like being so hackneyed. You don't need wings to fly.

With flame which was one with the night, Fiamma's killers will never be prepared of their impending death. Suddenly, it started to rain as if getting to ready wash a bloody battle, but for Tsukiyo blood will have to prevail.

Finally, she found them, having their unknowingly last merriment. Without even thinking twice, her flame scythe appeared at the signal of her hand. Ominous black dagger-like flares started to dance above them. However, no one noticed until blood started to spatter everywhere.

Screams of torment and suffering was all Tsukiyo was hearing but she didn't care. This was all for Fiamma. All for revenge. She swung her scythe, cutting every single person her eyes had laid on to. She was deaf of their pleas. She didn't even notice herself soaking in the blood of her victims. Victims? Tch, they deserve it, her mind said.

She was about to slash one person when she heard a loud voice yelling at her stop. It was who she expected when she turned around. Man, every time she does something like this, her father would always be there. My, was that moral support? She couldn't even describe the look on his face. Iemitsu Sawada was disappointed, helpless and was even staring at her incredulously as if he can't believe what he just saw.

"Tsukiyo, why did you do this?" He asked, frowning at her. It was noticeable how he was concealing his anger.

She did not reply. She just stared at her father, no regret seen in her eyes. Rather, those eyes were ruthless.

"You broke your words, Tsukiyo," she heard him say.

Tsukiyo laughed sardonically. She laughed really loud, mocking her father, showing him insolence.

"Who were you kidding, old man? Who wouldn't change after such circumstances? Messing with me and my life wasn't enough, eh? And you're still going to make me promise not to change? The hell with this!" She shouted back angrily.

"This was what I was afraid of, Tsukiyo," Timoteo said, stepping out of the shadows. "You lost yourself easily." His remarked was accompanied by a dismal tone which made Tsukiyo felt more irritating.

"I told you didn't I? Who will not change with those turn of events?" Tsukiyo replied, not in a manner of question but accusation. She had enough of his father's words and even Timoteo. She doesn't care about the Vongola. She took her strode towards Iemitsu in a hasty manner, with the scythe ready to rip him as if he was not a relative.

They have no right to tell her that she was wrong when in the first place they were the one who judge her. They didn't know what really happened in the future. They didn't know.

Iemitsu tried to avoid her but she turned her scythe to the direction where he leaped to. There was no turning back; he was going to be cut. Luckily, it seems like her blade had clashed something different. He was surprised of the sudden appearance of the person he last wanted to see fighting with Tsukiyo – Sawada Tsunayoshi, his son, her brother.

He had a flame on her forehead, his amber eyes were more unwavering. He was in hyper mode and was holding back Tsukiyo's scythe with his gloves covered with his brilliant reddish-orange flame.

"Tsuki-nee, stop this already!" He hollered at her with his usual frown.

Surprised with Tsuna's sudden emergence, Tsukiyo leaped back in astonishment. However, her eyes didn't loss its ruthlessness.

"Oh, if it isn't Tsuna?" She said mockingly in a cold tone.

"How did it end up like this?" Tsuna asked throwing Tsukiyo and Iemitsu a perplexed look.

"Jyuudaime!"

"Tsuna!"

Tsukiyo knew it was Gokudera and Yamamoto, Tsuna's friends, and much to her knowledge now, his storm and rain guardian.

"Master!" Another one called, who also managed to catch her attention. It was Basil.

When their gaze fell to her, every one of them was giving her a confused look, more like a critical assessment. She can read the silent words coming out from their mouths. They all mouthed her name, still in disbelief at the sudden turn of events. She knew they didn't expect her to be their adversary for the moment.

She didn't know how much of Fiamma's murderers were still alive, but that didn't matter anymore considering that she had eliminated most of them. The bloody field didn't even concern her.

And this was her problem now, she was surrounded by Vongola. All against her. Now, how can she perhaps win?

All she can hear now was the incoherent words mumbled by the remaining people who were still breathing at their supposed to be death. The sound of the rain didn't also escape her ears.

They were all standing motionless that Tsukiyo lost her interest in having conversations.

She initiated the fight. She surge towards Tsuna, her scythe ready to swing to his right. She saw Tsuna's movements attempting to leap back at the momentum of her scythe. Much to her agility, she turned counterclockwise around at an incredible pace, alternating the direction of her scythe hitting his back slashing him possibly to death. Her little brother's blood dashed at the air. However, it was a bluff. Yamamoto ran at his aid. The Tsuna she had slain dissipated merely as clear water. That was a technique of Yamamoto used to fool his opponents. One sort of an illusion.

She saw Tsuna floating with his gloved hands covered with flames steering him in mid air.

"You've become this good, eh, ototo-kun?" She spoke in an unpleasant amazement. She frowned at him. She hated the look in Tsuna's face. The one that was showing her sympathy. His eyes were even asking her how she can do such a dreadful thing. She suddenly remembered Tsuna's face before she killed him in the future. It irritated her more.

From the gesture of her hand, black dagger-like flares surrounded Tsuna but before she was able to heave them towards him, Gokudera, Yamamoto and Basil attacked her at once. She had no choice but dodge Gokudera's dynamites and Basil's triangular blade. However, she fell on Gokudera's trap; it wasn't dynamite but a smoke bomb causing her to lose awareness of where Basil's triangular blade will came from to hit her. She might have successfully dodged it but her left cheek was grazed. A minimal amount of blood flowed from it but it was just a shallow cut so she didn't have to worry.

She was surprised of the sudden lunge of Yamamoto's sword towards her. Out of reflex, she managed to make him step back at the sudden disappearance of her scythe. She grinned. _That was a bluff, Yama-kun. This is what doubting accounts to. You're getting yourself fooled._

She saw Tsuna landed in front of his allies, still frowning at her unexpected alteration.

"Tsuki-nee, why would you such thing? You who valued your family a great deal!" Tsukiyo knew he was angry from the intensity his voice.

Tsukiyo's mind protested. He has no right to get angry at her. They have no right, and that irritated her more.

Pausing from the fight, she retracted in a standing position. "Ne, Tsuna. Do you know what made me betray Vongola?"

All of them was looking at her, waiting for the answer of her query. She wiped the blood on her left cheek with her hands.

"It was you."


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer again. haha. Anyway, I do not own KHR but Sawada Tsukiyo is mine.**

**And whew, this story's nearing its end. Just a few more chapters. Haha. **

**By the way, thanks for all those who got this story on their favorite story and story alerts list. Even to those who reviewed. It's not like I'm demanding it but I'll appreciate more to hear from you guys. I don't mind if you say my first fiction is superficial. **

* * *

Tsuna and the others were frozen by her words.

"I-It was me?" Tsuna muttered, looking at her sister, questioning her sudden accusation. His eyebrows almost met but this expression did not render any doubt in her face.

Tsukiyo, drenched in the night rain's sadness, clenched her first. Of course, how would Tsuna know? Though it was unfair on her part. Her memories from those incidents that should have happened ten years later came into her but Tsuna and the others' recollection about it were simply not there as if it never existed. But maybe that was the paradox of having their selves transported into the future where no one supposedly should take part in.

If the Tsuna, she's facing now knew, maybe, they would understand why she was like that. But for the moment, Tsukiyo's emotions didn't even considered her family's welfare. It mainly concerned her.

"Right," Tsukiyo started commenting bitterly again. "It was so unfair, Tsuna. Asking favors from others as you pleased because you knew they couldn't go against you."

Once again, her black scythe blade formed from her flames appeared on her grip. But that feign offense was a trap. They didn't notice the black dagger-like flares that had lunged towards them. Timoteo and Iemitsu managed to only take shallow cuts but the others were struck rendering them much blood lost. Gokudera's right hand was stabbed making him unable to use that hand, and thus weakening his attacks. Yamamoto's left shoulder took a minor laceration but it seems like the dagger that took him affected an important muscle. His movements would have to slow down if that's the case. Basil, on the other hand, was lying on the ground, unconscious. He was almost soaking in his own blood. Iemitsu ran to his aid and had tried to apply first aid at his casualty.

Her attack didn't stop there. She kept on charging the dagger flares towards them like the rain falling down endlessly that night. She paid herself a smirk as she saw them suffer.

"What's the matter, Tsu-kun?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Tsuna was miserably watching her carrying out the demise of his beloved comrades but he had attempted to cover them from her unreasonable wrath.

"Tsuki-nee, let's talk. Tell us what really happened!" He said at her, in a voice quite loud enough for someone to deem that he was furious, but he was not. He can't fight his sister with a reason he didn't even knew. It was a meaningless fight. And Tsukiyo was putting up much futility and recklessness into it. He wanted to stop her but he can't understand why she was blaming him of her betrayal. He gazed at his family. Everyone was badly injured and Tsukiyo seemed not to have any will to halt her merciless assault.

"Stop it!" Tsuna shouted, his flames' intensity increased, overpowering her coal-colored dagger flares which had disappeared in the illuminative ambiance his flames had caused.

Tsukiyo just stood in there, astonished, staring at Tsuna and the power displayed in front of her.

"This is meaningless, Tsuki-nee. How can we understand you if you don't want to talk," he said, looking helplessly.

She gave him a smirk. "Easy for you to say. You've always been an annoying person, Tsuna. You're irritating when you try to act like the nice guy." Tsukiyo pointed her scythe at him. "Do you want to hear what my resolve is, Tsu-kun?"

Tsuna shivered at her cold voice.

There was no reply.

Only silence stood between them.

"For yourself. Live by yourself." She sighed. "When I learned that protecting my family wasn't my resolve, I was lost because I couldn't think of any resolve other than that. But Fiamma told me to be at least selfish once in a while. I saw myself Tsuna, I saw how naïve a person I was."

"You mean…"

"Yes! Selfishness, that's my resolve! I was tired of allocating everybody else. I want my life for my own. I can't even feel myself back then. I was like an empty person! And to even think that I've been wasting my life… on something useless." It was not easy to say that. Tsukiyo didn't want to say that but the situation called for it. Her wrath summoned those words.

Tsuna was completely wedged in his position, feeling Tsukiyo's rage. She had always been there for him, for their mom and their pathetic father. And so far, he had been dependent on her. She was always overprotective of him but what did he do in return? Hide everything from her. He wondered briefly if he had told Tsukiyo about the mafia before she had learned of it but this wasn't the time for that.

Her words made something inside him weakened. Like someone important to him just died. But that was the value of Tsukiyo's words, wasn't it?

"And your reason for betraying Vongola was…?" Tsuna asked.

"You ordered to destroy the rings, for the sake of Vongola and the safety of your friends. You were that kind of man, after all. And you didn't know, of course, that for the Vongola, you were the one who ordered me to kill you, ototo-kun." Tsukiyo was derisive. All this talk was absurd, she thought.

_._._._._._.

"_But that's unfair, Tsuna!" Tsukiyo shouted angrily at him. She was speaking with his little brother inside his office in the Vongola Mansion. Tsuna suddenly called for her and so she submitted without knowing the reason why was she being summoned. There were a lot of things that had changed especially his little brother. He became even more reliable, less coward, and respectable. But still, being a mafia boss didn't change his attitude. He was the same as ever – annoyingly humble and polite. Adding to that, Tsuna had grown handsome. His spiky russet hair still remained but he left some strands of hair to grow long on his back. _

_She, on the other hand, succeeded her father. She became Vongola's external advisor for Tsuna. Her father thought she might want that position to protect her little brother but actually she didn't like it. In the first place, she trusted Tsuna and his guardians. She had seen them fight all together. They were strong though they can be reckless at times but their bonds were quite inviting._

_But she was nailed in the position, too, like it was all planned. Yeah, blame her father._

_And here she was being ordered by Tsuna of something she would never do. Something, she thought, she was never capable of executing._

"_Tsuki-nee, this is for your own good. We might never know what the Millefiore's going to do with us," he said frowning at her objection. "The Millefiore will never be our ally. I know you are also aware of that. They had killed a lot of our subordinates and they have successfully eradicated the arcobalenos. They also swept out a lot of ally families."_

_Tsukiyo raised an eyebrow. "I know that. But aren't you making me betray Vongola? That's for my own good?" She reacted after hearing Tsuna's entire scheme, and maybe not all of it was being spilled out by her beloved brother._

"_It's not a betrayal. I have a plan, Tsuki-nee. Please trust me."_

"_But it doesn't have to be me, right? I can't do what you were asking for. You know me better, Tsuna," Tsukiyo said emphasizing deeply the last words of her statement._

"_I just wanted to protect you, nee. This is the only way so that they won't pursue you. A proof of loyalty to them. They're looking for my other comrades, too. Now that I thought of it, it's like I'm the one who's putting their lives at stake."_

_Tsukiyo walked in front of him and grasp Tsuna's black suit. "Look here, you selfish brother of mine. Who do you think their boss is? Once they decided to follow you, they already know what's at stake and they know one of those is their lives! So stop being selfish and stop asking people out of their will," she said in a furious tone but she tried to calm down, although it was just a bit of her seething that had subsided._

_She let go of him, causing him to fall back on his chair. They sighed in unison. _

"_You're not telling everything to me, Tsuna. What's the use of an advisor if he's not being consulted, you know?" She deadpanned but is actually indirectly making him guilty. _

_The tenth Vongola boss didn't respond and was not even meeting her gaze. His eyes were fixed at one of the corners of the room._

_Tsukiyo sighed. "The peace meeting is set two weeks from now. You want me to side with the Millefiore and convince them that I'm on their side. Have Byakuran let me kill you and done," Tsukiyo said in a mocking tone. "My, how easy is that?" She continued reciting sarcastically._

"_Tell me, Tsuna. Who told you I can kill you? You're hyper intuition?" She asked, having a mania of rage stirring inside of her._

"_Please, Tsuki-nee. I just need you to do it. I won't run away," he spoke gently._

_She closed her eyes as if to shut her angry demeanor but it was futile. Ridiculous, she thought. Just ridiculous. "What do you mean you won't ran away? Sarcastically speaking, death is the end of it all.__And where do you expect me to be after 'killing you'?" Tsukiyo asked bitterly._

_Suddenly, her little brother gave her a determined look. "Please, Tsuki-nee. I need you to do this. There's no other one that can do this but you."_

"_And if I don't?" _

"_You must."_

"_I'm serious. What if I do not comply with that?"_

"_You will, nee."_

"_I don't want to! Damn it, Tsuna. This isn't easy at all. Why don't you just tell me your plans? Maybe, I'll understand."_

"_I don't want you to get involved."_

"_I'm already involved!"_

_Seemingly, out of patience, Tsuna had decided to shout back. "If you won't do it as my sister, then do it as a subordinate! I'm the boss here!"_

_Being taken aback from his sudden reply, Tsukiyo was controlling herself not to punch her beloved little brother's face. She was clenching her first, and then she glared at him._

"_Tch. You know what, I'll do what you want," Tsukiyo said in impatient voice, her hands crossed over his chest. "After it, I'll stay with Millefiore. I will never ever speak with anyone in the Vongola. Find your way to make me understand why you did this, boss," she said and left. The way she called him boss was cold and much to his frustration, hateful. _

_Tsuna was left down-casted. He started to have feelings of regret but the plan must continue. Hibari and Irie didn't have any idea of what she asked of Tsukiyo. Actually nobody in the Vongola did. Only him knew. And she, in contrast, had no idea about his plans of dragging the past ten year version of his family in that time. _

_And it was all for the Vongola. _


	24. Chapter 24

**KHR isn't mine although I wish it was. And if that happened, KHR might be ruined so I better stop my wishful thinking. I'm contented watching the anime and reading the manga. *nods***

**Heh.**

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"You were that kind of person after all, Tsuna. You always think that everything you do was for anybody else's sake but it did nothing to me but trouble. Do you know how much the future me had struggled just to make up her mind following your order?"

Tsuna's flame on his forehead disappeared. The ambiance around him showed no willingness to continue the fight. He was just staring at the ground, watching the raindrops clash on to the earth. It was as if he himself can't believe what he just heard. Of course, forcing somebody else to kill another wasn't easy. He understood that, but it was his orders. And those orders weren't just simple arrangement. He considered that she was spouting lies but that won't apply to Tsukiyo's case. He knew she didn't need to lie.

Gokudera and Yamamoto stared at him in worry. Iemitsu and Timoteo was nowhere and Basil wasn't there anymore. It seems that they had rushed Basil to the Varia Quarters to attend his injury.

"Tsuki-nee," Yamamoto ran in front of Tsuna. Although, there was not an insignia of attack coming from her, he was in possession of his swords, in the right stance, prepared for a sudden attack. "Stop this already, Tsuki-nee. We can talk about this peacefully, right?" His cheerful demeanor didn't even show. He was serious.

"I hate to say this but the baseball idiot is right!" Gokudera yelled, taking his stand besides his beloved boss.

Tsukiyo felt something warm inside her upon seeing Gokudera and Yamamoto running at his little brother's aid. She felt her anger melting away but there was no turning back now. She had taken a lot of lives now. Adding to that, she attempted to kill her family and she had successfully injured them, too. And her mind screamed that the Vongola still had not suffered that much.

If she had gone this far, the only thing that would stop her is death. Preferably, her death. She raised her scythe, pointed to them, showing she was still up to fight.

Yamamoto and Gokudera frowned at her actions. They were evidently disappointed.

However, at the moment that she was about to attack, an annoying laughter resounded in the woods.

"Nyahahaha! Lambo-sama had appeared to save Tsuki-nee!" His irritating appearance was uncalled for the grave atmosphere. He was running towards them, holding a bazooka on his hand, as if ready to shoot anyone in the way. Much to his clumsiness, he tripped over a rock, causing the bazooka to get lost from his hands and fell into Tsukiyo who had no time to evade it.

In seconds, pink smoke had covered the place where Tsukiyo was standing. It signified the emergence of a different person. However, everyone's eyes were somewhat anticipating to take a look on a ten-years-later version of her.

When the smoke cleared, an older version of Tsukiyo was blinking at them. Seemingly, she had no idea of what was happening and this Tsukiyo was seemingly less violent.

"Huh? Tsuna? Yamamoto? Gokudera? Lambo, too? What are you guys doing here in the woods? It seems dangerous. And wait, why aren't you guys still not home? You're soaking wet. Do you want to get sick?" She asked worriedly and in a quite reprimanding way.

The four of them was just staring at the ten-years-later version of Sawada Tsukiyo. She still had the long brown hair, amber-colored eyes yet it showed more fortitude, and she had grown taller.

"Wait, you guys look younger," she commented, his eyes falling to them one by one until it fell on Lambo's bazooka near her feet.

"I was struck with Lambo's ten-year bazooka, huh?" She asked calmly. "That means…"

Tsuna and his comrades prepared for a sudden reaction from her. Of course, Tsukiyo in the future knows what happened in Tsukiyo's past. She will probably know what they were doing in the woods and why they were there. Will she attempt to kill them?

And there their fear went. The woman's thoughtful words became empty as she threw them glares of resentment. With just a wave of her hand, a black flame formed a scythe in her grip.

"Why don't we change a bit of the future, Tsu-kun?" She said in an emotionless tone, walking towards them with her scythe prepared to sever anyone she wanted to finish off.

With the pressure of her black flames, she managed to shoved Yamamoto and Gokudera out of the way, causing the two to hit their backs on hard tree trunks and fell on the cold muddy ground. Tsuna was unguarded, he can only rely on his own flames but he was still not in the right mind to fight his sister, and not this more dominant ten-year-later version of hers.

Tsukiyo pointed her scythe at Tsuna.

"Just kidding," she said as her flame scythe disappeared in sight. Tsuna stared at him, confused at the sudden variation of her actions.

Gokudera and Yamamoto, albeit wincing in pain, managed to got up and ready to back-up Tsuna. They were not going to fall into Tsukiyo's change of attitude.

"Jyuudaime, it's a trap! Get away from her!" Gokudera shouted.

Tsukiyo stared at him, smiling. "Don't worry, Hayato. That was just a bluff." She said.

She strode towards Tsuna and the others. They all took a step backwards. They can't still trust her. They don't know what she may do. "Don't worry, Tsu-kun. You should be thankful for Lambo right now. If the Tsukiyo, who you are supposed to be fighting now, swapped with me in the future, then everything's going to be all right," she said happily as if there was nothing to really care about.

"Tsuki-nee, what do you mean?" Tsuna asked, frowning at the absurdity of her mood. How can she be so happy after learning that her past self was just trying to kill them a few minutes ago.

"Five minutes is almost up. Ask _her_," she said before disappearing in a poof, being replaced by a dumbfounded younger Tsukiyo. Her face was all red, as if she'd been through something embarrassing and it made them wonder what the future her was doing at the moment.

"You've got to be kidding me." That was what Tsukiyo muttered before unconsciousness got into her again. What they didn't notice was Tsukiyo directed that statement to a person she had first glimpsed from her return from the supposed never-to-be-known future. Guess who.

**_._._._._._._._._._.**

For the weather not to went along with one's mood was just preposterous. Like for an instance, you were having the hard time of your life. Your depressed, your almost crying, and the sun was just smiling brightly up in the cerulean sky. It was just the same with exuberantly laughing while in a funeral. A comical insult, right?

That applied for Tsukiyo after being warped by Lambo's ten-year bazooka – she found herself under a clear sunny day. A beautiful day, indeed.

She was not alone though. Or she should rather say; she was in the hands of someone.

"Shishishi. Why so bloody, Tsu-chan?" The arrogant flaxen-haired guy, who claims to be a royalty, and was no other than the sadistic Belphegor, asked her. But there was something different in him. His yellow hair became quite unruly though his bangs and the tiara remained. He did look more matured though. He had grown.

She didn't know what she was caught in. She was enclosed in his arms and he didn't seem to mind her wet and bloody-soaked clothes.

But apparently she was blushing upon realization on their position. She was leaning on Belphegor's chest. He, on the other hand, was leaning on a tree. It was as if both of them were taking a shade on the tree's shadow. She can't understand herself at all with her heart thumping rapidly. She struggled from his hold but she felt his hands drew tighter around her. She could even hear him breathing, but her heart was the loudest in her ears.

"Let go of me!" She said out loud, still moving violently just to get free. "Where am I anyway? Why, all of a sudden, am I here? _Hanase_!(Let go!)"

"Five minutes, Tsu-chan. After five minutes, you'll go back to where you are supposed to be. That will be less than four minutes by now," he said, grinning at her. "But I won't let go. Deal with it with yourself."

Tsukiyo gave up. She stopped struggling. She knew he meant what he said. But still the closeness was giving her heart an anxious throbbing.

"W-where am I then?" She asked, taking her gaze off him as to hide her blushing face.

"Ten years later."

She raised her head to glimpse at him. This time, in surprise and questioning look.

"Something like you got swapped with your ten year later-earlier self for about five minutes, I heard," he explained, not even sure of his explanation.

"Then why am I here?" She frowned, still doubting his reply.

"Beats me," he said, drawing his face near to her.

"I almost forgot how you look ten years ago, Tsu-chan. You're still cute even looking so dangerous," he commented, kissing the tip of her nose.

She frowned in surprise. Tsukiyo didn't know how to describe what she was feeling. She was utterly surprised by Belphegor's demeanor as if they were in an intimate relationship… _but what if ten years later, they really were…_ She shook her head hard as if discarding away unlikable thoughts.

She was confused but still she somehow liked Bel's presence at the moment. Then, a sudden question entered her mind.

"Hey, what am I doing here then… with you? And more specifically, i-in y-your arms?" Tsukiyo felt very embarrassed by just asking saying those words but she wanted to know if they were in a relationship like that.

"Shishishi. Have a guess."

"What? You wanted me to believe that ten years later, rather, at this time, you're my, err…"

"Husband." He poked her forehead.

"Huh?" Her eyes widened after hearing the most ludicrous revelation she could ever think of. She wanted to laugh but what she heard wasn't just funny. It was serious, for her. Seriously, Belphegor, of all people. She blinked, then she shook her head.

He laughed. "More like the reaction I expected from you."

"How did… How come… No way. You're kidding!" She accused, throwing him a disbelieving look. Belphegor watched her facial expressions in amusement. The girl seemingly found being her husband unacceptable. He couldn't help but grin.

He raised his hand and stroke her hair.

"I'm not. Just fall in love with me already, Tsu-chan. Don't forget that when you go back, okay? The prince orders you to fall for him."

Tsukiyo's face reddened more.

"Who are you to… _order me you stupid prince._"

Before she could even finish the last five words of her abrupt statement, Belphegor caught her lips with his. And at the moment, she disappeared in a poof, replaced by the Tsukiyo he was with originally before the five minutes earlier.

The surprised blushing Tsukiyo pushed him. "Oi, Bel! What were you doing with the ten-year-earlier me, you pedophile!"

"Hey, I calculated it right at the moment you'll come back you know." He defended nonchalantly.

"You expect me to believe that?" She asked, sarcastically.

"Shishishi. Of course. I'm a genius, after all."

* * *

**Those five minutes moments were fast, right? Haha!**

**Dear readers, if you have time, please review. I really want to know what others think of this story. **


	25. Chapter 25

**I do not own KHR.**

**Again, I thank you for all who got this story on their favorite story and story alert list. Even to those who reviewed. And to those who took their time reading this. **

**Thank you very much.**

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**_._._._._._._._._._._.**

The fight was over.

Tsuna and the others had their injuries treated by Bianchi and Lussuria back in the Varia Headquarters. Needless to say, nobody let Lussuria heal them with his box weapon, the peacock, or else they will need a serious shaving later. It would be helpful if Sasagawa Ryohei was around but he didn't come to Italy. Gokudera, Yamamoto and Lambo were the only guardians who were able to come with Tsuna.

They were all fine now but not emotionally. Tsukiyo's revelation had quite an impact to their being. Manifestly, Tsuna was the one carrying the most trouble of them all. He was the reason why Tsukiyo turned out to this and he started hating his self even more. If only he had not commanded her then… but it was necessary – to keep her away from danger. Or was it all meaningless? He heard her say it did nothing to her but trouble.

He didn't seem to notice Reborn who was watching him clashing with his thoughts.

"Oi, Dame-Tsuna," he called. Tsuna looked at him, helplessly.

"What should I do, Reborn? It's my entire fault. "

"Don't blame yourself, Tsuna," a sudden appearance of Sawada Iemitsu said. "I had my faults, too. I never knew that she was being pressured of my absence." He had his hands on Tsuna's shoulders which the latter shoved away vehemently which took him by surprise. Everybody in the room watched them in silence as the atmosphere itself tensed.

"So, you knew that you were that useless?" Tsuna asked disdainfully. "Tsuki-nee did nothing wrong!" He shouted at him, tears almost welling up in his eyes. "She just wanted some time for herself but she never asked for this."

**_._._._._._._._._**

Belphegor left the room. He had enough of the father-son drama between Iemitsu and Tsunayoshi. In other words, he didn't give a damn about them. He was busy thinking of Tsukiyo who was locked up in her usual room in the Varia Quarters. At least it was better than being left behind in a lifeless underground prison without anything to warm her.

But he himself was perplexed when Tsukiyo threw him that statement.

"_You've got to be kidding me." _It resounded inside his head. What was she referring to? Was it his confession? He had no idea but if she were… He didn't even want to think about it.

He was there all the time. He accompanied Tsuna and his comrades to look for Tsukiyo after running from Xanxus whom she tried to assault. He saw how bloody she was in warfare and for the first time, he also had glimpsed her shadowy flames.

But Tsukiyo was corrupted. She was losing herself and Belphegor felt like he must do something for her. He didn't like that feeling at all. He had always hated doing something for anybody. He himself was even lazy to follow orders from the Varia but what can he do, his life was at stake in there. When you're working in Varia, the only thing that will make you out of the league is death. But why would he run away from Varia? He entered it, out of his free will, even at a young age. Eight years old, to be specific.

Nobody appeared to notice him slipping into Tsukiyo's room. He entered silently and sat on her bed's edge. He just watched her calm sleeping face. He was about to raise his hand to caress her face when the voice of a certain brat disrupted him.

"Belphegor, what are you doing here?" Asked the tense voice of Tsukiyo's younger brother. He sure had mustered the courage to ask that to Bel. It was evidently shown from the slight trembling Bel observed in him but his eyes were a different story. They were determined. As if ready to fight whenever he made a wrong move.

"Shishishi. If it isn't the Tenth Vongola Boss, I thought this place was off limits, even to you."

"A-and the same goes for y-you, too."

"Shishishi. I see you're afraid of me, brat." He stood up and strode towards a chair on which he had slump his self to. He stared at the ceiling.

"Y-you're not here to kill her for attempting to slay Xanxus, are you?"

"That's reasonable, isn't it?" Bel asked, looking at him as if challenging Tsuna's thoughts. However, the brunet did not respond to his statement. There was a seemingly perpetual silence between them but Bel broke the ambiance.

"If I were to do that, I should have done it earlier before you even came here." Belphegor's gaze drew to Tsukiyo.

"You like my sister don't you?" Tsuna's words weren't stammering at all. It was as if he wasn't nervous of the Prince the Ripper's presence anymore.

"Who said? That hyper intuition of yours?" Still, his gaze did not leave Tsukiyo.

"Y-yeah, somewhat," Tsuna replied and sat on the edge of Tsukiyo's bed.

He grinned. "Shishishi. How sly."

Tsuna also gazed at her sister who was serenely sleeping, ignoring Belphegor's remark. He wanted to think Tsukiyo was just pretending to sleep. That any moment now, she will open her eyes and talk with him. He really wanted to talk with her but will Tsukiyo let him?

"Tsuki-nee had always protected me ever since we were kids. She is really overprotective but she's strong. It was a shock that she almost killed me but to think that it was my fault in the first place…" Tsuna narrated, smiling prudently, with an evident hint of sadness in his voice. "I want to protect her."

Belphegor did not interfere with his narration regarding Tsukiyo. He wanted to know more anyway. About her, that is. And if there was something he wanted to agree with Tsuna, he knew his self. He wants to protect her, too. This girl who had been selfless for her family and was just shoved aside by them, leading to her tribulation.

"I have no idea how you guys treated her in Varia nor how Tsuki-nee managed to deal with you guys. What was she like?" Tsuna asked him, looking really interested.

This time, it was Belphegor's turn to remember what Tsukiyo's demeanor was like when she was working in Varia.

The first time she was introduced to them as the maid and almost got them killed by Xanxus, shouting "I hate you" to their boss' face, enduring all the toy-like treatment from him and Marmon and the dressing games of Lussuria, from the time Rasiel called and the kidnapping incident until it lead to her quandary.

"She always ran to my aid," he answered briefly and later found his face slammed with a placid hit of an intricately patterned blue pillow.

"More like ran away from you, stupid prince."

Tsuna and Belphegor stood in surprise. Tsukiyo was now awake. She got up in a sitting position. However, upon having an eye contact to Belphegor, her face suddenly turned pale, and she looked away.

Belphegor was curious of her behavior. She never called him 'stupid prince' and if his eyes weren't deceiving him, she saw Tsukiyo blush upon seeing him.

"Tsuki-nee!" Tsuna hurriedly embraced Tsukiyo out of happiness. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He repeated those words knowing that he would gladly repeat it the millionth time to prove his remorse.

Tsukiyo ruffled his brown hair. It was still the best hair she had her hands laid on. And she can't still stand a frowning face of Tsuna out of real melancholy. "I'm sorry, Tsu-kun." She gave out a small smile_. I don't think I wanted to talk with you right now_, she wanted to add but he muttered it bitterly to herself.

"Belphegor. Tsuna." Turning around, they found Timoteo. The Ninth Vongola Boss was seemingly disappointed at them for the violated rule not to go into Tsukiyo's room until they are told to do so.

Tsukiyo was quite thankful for the interruption. Really, he can't talk with Tsuna. If possible, she did not want to see anyone – not her mom, her father, nor Tsuna.

"Both of you, out of this room… now." The two had complied. Belphegor went out the room casually and Tsuna, on the other hand, bothered to take a last glance, giving her an apologetic look.

When they were gone, Tsukiyo watced Timoteo who walked to the pillow which she had thrown at Belphegor a while ago. He picked it up and he looked back at her. She couldn't stand the measuring eyes of his grandfather that she retracted her gaze.

"Look at me, Tsukiyo," he said, but to Tsukiyo, it sounded more like a command. She hesitated at first but she obeyed.

"What are you mortified of, Tsukiyo?" He asked putting down the pillow on her bed.

"Why are you even asking me this?" She asked, frowning at him. Do they really want to hear? Within her, she was feeling a big block of remorse. She betrayed Vongola. She almost killed Tsuna. She had injured her friends. She had harmed Vongola's associates. But another feeling countered it. It was resentment. She still didn't like how those things ran.

"Answer that, Tsukiyo," Timoteo said. "Until you won't give me the correct answer, you will not step out of this room. Nobody is allowed to visit you by then. I will strictly emphasize that to all of them." Tsukiyo was sure she had heard a stern stress on his last words. _To all of them._

"Don't try to escape, Tsukiyo. You will not succeed, I tell you."

"What the?" She raised an eyebrow. "By answering that question, you're going to grant me freedom? This isn't some kind of sadistic quiz show, is it?" She asked mockingly. "Traitors are not tolerated in the mafia, right? Why don't you just kill me?"

"What are you mortified of, Tsukiyo? Your answer," he said ignoring her words. "Blood relations aren't that important in the mafia. We do not care if you're even the next successor. A betrayal is still a betrayal. A traitor is a traitor."

"I get the point. So why is there a need of a judgement in a ridiculous way by answering a question?"

"We're giving you a chance, don't waste it. Your family needs you."

Tsukiyo did not reply. _My family needs me... huh? _The question was repeating itself sarcastically inside her mind.

"Depending on what you answer with this question, we might reconsider."

Without any goodbyes, the old Vongola boss took his step out of the room.

"What am I mortified of?" She asked herself while staring at the pillow Timoteo put on her bed. _Why don't they just kill me?_


	26. Chapter 26 idiotic thoughts

**I do not own KHR.**

(As the title says… this chapter is really full of random thoughts that will cause the reader – in other words, you – to be confused… so an early apology for annoyance, irritation, etc…)

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**_._._._._._._._**

No matter how hard she searched for an answer, it was all the same. She had betrayed Vongola. She was a traitor. That was what she was mortified of. But was that really the correct answer?

Is anger against Vongola something to be mortified of?

She started cursing Timoteo inside his head. Just what the hell do the old man wanted as an answer?

She was lying on the bed, blankets over her to provide warmth from the coldness of the room. She stared outside the window and she closed her eyes. Darkness. It was all what she saw. Then she opened only to be met by the sight of the ceiling. The ceiling. It was empty. Was it? Sure, sarcastically speaking, if you ignore the lamp up there.

_Ah, yes, the ceiling. Hell do I care with the ceiling! Damn it, I don't know what to think anymore._

It had been days that she had not seen anyone she's familiar with. Her food was just brought in by some random men working under the Vongola. It made her all lonely. Empty.

She sighed.

Painful. That's what she was feeling right now. Pain? No, wait. It isn't pain but regret. Is pain the same with regret? What was she regretting? A lot of things. Like learning about Tsunayoshi being involved in mafia. She shook her head. No it's better if I knew things like these were happening. Being oblivious of what was happening inside her family was unacceptable. She vowed to protect them and yet...

_Damn it, Tsukiyo. You were supposed to answer the old man's question._

Should she? Why is there a need to answer such idiotic question? He should know. All of them should know what she was mortified of. Were they that sadistic that they want it out of her mouth? That she was a traitor.

She sighed. It was useless she grumbled to herself.

"Arrghhh, man, of all things to think of…."

She didn't need to answer the question. In fact, she could just break out the room with the help of her newfound flames but she was just so out willed to do that. To tell the truth, she didn't want to use it again. And if possible, she would do some serious business of slamming her head on the walls to cause her amnesia but that was an uncertain and risky method. Not that being risky is a threat to her. She just didn't want to do it. Maybe, because she still valued her life.

Right. Her resolve was selfishness, right? Where did that resolve came from anyway?

She promised her dad to take care of her mom and Tsuna. And so she did. She always fought for Tsuna, sometimes even getting angry at him for not fighting back. She grew up employed under that 'family-first' business. And she grew bored. Her life was all like that. Thinking of other's sake but not hers. She didn't mind that. She was happy seeing that her mom and Tsuna safe anyway. She was like a robot programmed to protect and stay by their side.

But actually, Tsuna was always in peril, especially when Reborn showed up. Now, that she thought of it, she realized she'd been useless.

_Damn you, Reborn._

So, there was a part of herself that she ignored. She didn't listen to the person inside her shouting for independence. There were shards of her who wanted to escape that promise she had almost dedicated her life to. She longed to feel out of responsibility. Now really, shouldn't she just blame her useless father for pushing that sense of duty to her? Seriously, her father should be the one doing what she had been doing all those years.

Basically, she was a selfish person. _No, that's not true._ _If I were, I should have run away from them but I did not_. Tsukiyo convinced herself with that.

And she betrayed Vongola. Out of her free will, her mind shouted. It seems like she had no fault at all. Right?

Tsuna didn't want her to be hunted by the Millefiore that was why he told her to side with them. In that way, they will never suspect Tsukiyo after they saw she had killed the Tenth Vongola Boss.

And his death was actually planned together with Hibari Kyoya and Irie Shoichie. If he had told her so, maybe, she had understood more. A thought entered her mind though. There were supposed to be no doubts when doing something. Besides, Byakuran might manipulate Tsukiyo to tell him the truth, and thus, the fall of the plan and the complete annihilation of the Vongola.

One more thing that mortified her was that if she was against the killing of Tsuna in the future, why had she just attempted to kill him just recently?

She sighed again. She took a lot of lives, too. She thought she was doing it for vengeance, for Fiamma's death but it seems like she had lost herself. To tell the truth, she had enjoyed slaughtering those heartless souls. But who was she to pass judgment to them? Maybe Timoteo was right. She lost her self easily. She was swayed by the sudden swept of circumstances and upon discovering her ability, had tried to do everything while feeling she was that superior.

But thanks to Fiamma, she had found her resolve. And to take things positively, she knew resolves can be changed. They are not constant.

Tears flowed from her eyes. Fiamma died for protecting her, and his family was even involved. She cried because of her uselessness at that time. True, she blames herself for their death but if it wasn't really because of her…

And Xanxus was angry at her. The man almost want her dead. He actually does.

She wiped those tears.

Momentarily, she was back to a deadpanned face staring at nowhere.

And she gave out a small laugh.

"Aaarghh!" She slammed herself to her pillow, and she cried again, shouting countless times in it. That way, they couldn't possibly hear her tiresome screams.

_This is stupid. I'm going insane. _She sat up, holding her head, as if she was caught in a headache. She wiped her tears. Then she ruffled her own hair. Out of an unreasonable anger, she took the pillow and threw it on the floor with a hostile incoherent grumble. She closed her eye trying to forget all that happened. Calming herself to a small extent, she opened her eyes and stared at the pillow lying on the cold floor.

How did she even got into Varia? Reborn sent her. The Varia was really scary (at first) but she had found out what Varia Quality is like. Risking your life in compensation of their comical theatre. Nah, that doesn't sound right. Actually it does. Rephrasing it, Varia Quality is all about having to enjoy the riotous yet comical daily life of the Varia in exchange of a fleeting life, hers for an instance.

And there was Belphegor whom she assailed with that pillow. And whom she found out to be her husband ten years later. Her heart suddenly throbbed fast.

No freaking way.

But Belphegor was always there… she can trust him.

_Oh, yeah? What made you say that?_

He made her rely on him. He once told her, right? Followed by a sudden confession. She remembered his eyes when she blew at his face back then. Cool, loyal, whatever. She wanted those eyes for herself. _Or maybe, you wanted the owner of those eyes to be yours._ She shook her head. Where did that came from?

"_Just fall for me already. The prince orders you to fall for him." _His voice echoed inside her head. She blushed at the spontaneous recollection.

Shooing those thoughts away, unsuccessfully, in any way, she looked intently at the pillow as if something was going to sprout from it.

"I hate the Vongola. I really do!" She shouted loud, intending for everyone to hear that. She wanted to make them know that.

Moment of silence that she granted herself, she looked at nothing in particular. She just stared, emptying her mind. If someone would enter that room at that moment, they will probably deem her insane.

She closed her eyes again, breathing as if she was meditating. Opening her eyes after a while, she smiled to herself.

"The Vongola is the pillow," she muttered in contentment. "I found my answer, old man," she said, taking a mental image of everyone in her mind.

Anger wasn't easy to let go, she knew that but eventually it will. She was that kind of person after all.

Easy come, easy go. That's how those feelings of resentment will have to be.


	27. Chapter 27

**Finally!**

**The last chapter. For all who took their time reading this, thanks a lot. **

As for the _**epic failure**_ of the author to write **dramatic** situations, let us just move on at the events wherein supposedly, all of it were already settled. Let's say, right after Tsukiyo made up with everybody. Let's not deal with trivial events. Shishishi… *ehem*

Warning: A bit of crackness ahead. (It suddenly turned out to be like that. lol My bad.)

**I do not own KHR.**

* * *

Sawada Tsukiyo stared at the whole commotion in their house's dining room. She was now back in Japan specifically Namimori. As the replay of her usual living, Lambo was again being noisy and bothersome, adding Ipin who was reprimanding him. Tsuna, was just looking gloomy, after Reborn had took his omelet and Bianchi was insisting him her poison cooking. And her mom, as usual, didn't seem to be bothered.

She sliced half of her omelet and transferred the other half to Tsuna's plate.

"Here, Tsu-kun. Eat it before a clever monkey took it in," she said to her little brother, smiling innocently, but was actually insinuating something to Reborn to whom she was staring at intently.

"Are you challenging me, Tsukiyo?" The black fedora-wearing arcobaleno asked.

"Am I?" She asked back, in a staring contest with him.

"Nyahaha! Tsuki-nee, Lambo-sama commands you to give me that other half of your omelet!" Lambo appealed who was suddenly in front of her plate. Before Tsukiyo could even protest, the sly Bovino kid has already stuffed the food inside his big mouth. Tsukiyo, then, was left with nothing on her plate.

"Lambo! That's not good!" Ipin jumped in front of him. "Give it back to Tsuki-nee!"

Ipin's statement did not even lead to any betterment of her mood.

"That's what you get for not watching your food, dame-Tsuki," Reborn said.

"That doesn't even go with my name, you jerk!" Tsukiyo snapped back at him.

"Oooh, it fits perfectly. It's just the same calling Tsuna dame-Tsuna."

_Bastard. _

Reborn with an exceptional skill of having sixth sense, or rather, reading other people's mind, might have known what the two siblings have called him behind their minds.

"Tsuki-nee, calm down. You can have this back," Tsuna said but unfortunately, Lambo has also eaten the omelet on his plate while they weren't looking. Both of their auras were down casted. They really have a lot of demons lurking inside their house.

"Hey, come on everybody. This is the first time Tsukiyo had taken a breakfast with us after such a long time," her mother said. "Tsu-chan, Tsu-kun, I can cook for you again," she said rising up from her chair. Tsukiyo was grateful she has a mom like her. She was one patient woman. A wife who's not nagging at her husband's absence and was caring enough of her children. She felt guilty of hating her back then but that's already history.

She glanced at the clock hanging on the walls inside the room.

With much haste, Tsukiyo stood up. "Tsuna, if we don't go now, we're going to be late!"

Tsukiyo, of course, wasn't studying at the Namimori Middle School but still, she had a lot of absences already and being late on her comeback was really frustrating and embarrassing.

On the other hand, he knew Tsuna's situation. Hibari Kyoya's famous biting-people-to-death conduct was sure infamous when his school rules were violated.

Tsuna had gone ahead of him. She, on the other hand, took her time walking down the streets.

Maybe this time, it's okay to be absent from school, she thought. Lucky, there was no Hibari-like prefect in her academy.

She saw Tsuna waved at her as he disappeared in sight. She continued, staring at the blue sky devoid of clouds. "The Vongola is the pillow," she said, laughing to herself. She didn't pay attention to the people who were throwing her bewildered stares.

"_Now, tell me, Tsukiyo. What are you mortified of?" Timoteo asked, staring at her, gauging as if she would lie._

_She stared back at his eyes. "Nothing."_

_Timoteo raised an eyebrow at her answer. His look was demanding for further explanations. She tossed him the pillow. _

_She sighed before starting. "Considering that's the Vongola…"_

"_A pillow?"_

"_I'm not yet done talking," she snapped irritated. _

"_Go ahead then."_

"_And let's say I'm fond of stepping on it," she said, grabbing back the pillow from his hand and threw it on the ground. In a matter of seconds, her feet was stomping the pillow just like what she said. It wasn't just once, but twice. No, more than that. Her face showed the pleasure of doing so._

_She looked at the expression on Timoteo's face. It was what she expected. He was surprised then he frowned. He didn't like what she was doing._

"_You felt insulted, didn't you?" She asked with a grin. "Even this was just merely a pillow substituted as the Vongola. You felt angry against me, don't you?"_

"_Just what are you trying to say, Tsukiyo?" He asked. He hate to admit it but yes; he was feeling insulted, Tsukiyo knew._

_She picked the pillow up and glared at him. "And suppose I play with it like a soccer ball." She tossed it in the air then kicked it upward, and then she kicked it towards the wall. A soft thud was heard from the hit it took. It seemed painless._

"_And then use it in a pillow fight with you," she said and stared at Timoteo who was frowning at her really big time. She shook her head. "Nah, I won't have a pillow fight with an old man like you. You won't stand a chance." She smiled to herself._

_She suddenly became that disrespectful but she was showing him something. That was necessary. And instead of a pillow fight, she picked up the pillow and hit the wall with it. It was a useless act, it seemed to Timoteo. She stopped and continued with her talk. She didn't face her, instead it was as if she was talking with the wall. _

"_In the mafia, mercy is just an empty word. Forgiving isn't an option. When one of us dies, we resort to retribution. We tend to avenge the death of our comrades," she said. _

_Timoteo didn't say a word. He just listened to what Tsukiyo was pointing out._

"_And upon knowing that my family is actually involved with this mafia business, it is undeniable that me myself is a Mafioso now, right? But Mafioso or not, I'm still human. I still long for vengeance for all the suffering that I had gone through. So this I ask you, Vongola Nono: What gives you the right to get angry at me when I was just settling my scores with you guys? Shouldn't a real mafioso acknowledge things like this?"_

_Timoteo was taken aback at the sudden question of Tsukiyo. Was she finding a way to ran away from her faults? He can't find any sense at what she was babbling. But it was true, they had loathed her of her betrayal but it all amount to nothing but her misery. Being careful as they thought they were, they locked her up. Made her feel that she's the one to blame. He didn't want to admit it his self but basically, it seemed that, Vongola was at fault since everything was all for the famiglia's sake. And true enough, even the mafia world has its own tradition and revenge was part of it. They must acknowledge it._

_She stared at the cushion which she has clasped tightly in her hands. She sighed. Now, she was dusting off the visible dirt that had fastened to tit. Timoteo was just staring at the amendment of her actions. "Why are you dusting it off?"_

"_I know the rules. Once it settled, it is settled. Forgotten. We never exact vengeance twice." She said, giving him the pillow. "That is how a spirit of a real Mafioso is like. I read that from a book," she smiled proudly at him. But her face suddenly became serious._

"_I will tell you my answer," she continued. "I am mortified for betraying Vongola but that wasn't the case because I realized it was for the best of the family. What I was really mortified was being doubted and useless because I didn't know anything. And those are not even close to my faults. You guys didn't give me choices. To say that I'm blameless might be an unacceptable but that is what I want to put in my mind. Will you allow me to live so?"_

_Timoteo didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked her another question. This time, in amusement. "Why is Vongola a pillow again?" _

"_You saw it right? The way I stepped on it, the way it hit the wall, the way I strike the wall with it. It all seemed painless. That's how I see Vongola. Invulnerable as it is."_

_Timoteo smiled prudently. _"_I know we had made a decision not to consider you as a candidate for the Vongola Decimo but would you li-,"_

"_No, thanks," she replied interrupting his unfinished statement but she knew where that was going to. Timoteo was offering her the candidacy of being the next Vongola Tenth. "My brother had already gone through a lot for that. He will have to take it. And by the way, I still hate Vongola."_

_He understood that._

She gave herself a shrug. She laughed louder, treading her way to the gates of Namimori Middle School. She wanted to them. To see her little brother's friend who apparently became hers, too.

I heard there are transfer students today," she heard a girl from Nami-middle said.

"Yeah, they are transferring from Shimon Middle School, as rumors say," the friend replied.

Tsukiyo didn't bother to hear the rest of their conversation. If there were new students, Tsuna might have new friends.

She saw Tsuna at sight being waited by no other than his friends in Nami-middle – Gokudera, Yamamoto, Ryohei and even Hibari who was ready for biting them all to death for crowding because of waiting for Tsuna.

And how she missed arguing with Hibari.

"Long time, no see, Kyoya-kun," she greeted as he jumped to Tsuna for a hug.

"Sawada Tsukiyo, I heard you've been a problem," he said, uninterested, but either way was glaring at her.

"Tch. I never knew you missed me that much," she deadpanned. But she felt something was seemingly out of place.

"Shishishi. I sure did miss you, Tsu-chan."

Tsukiyo thought she heard a ghost. Erase. She thought she was just hearing some stupid things. Sure, she missed Varia, except the ever haughty prince. _Who am I kidding, of course I missed my husba-.. what the…_

She noticed everybody, too was searching to where the voice came from. Tsukiyo suddenly felt fervent, her heart pounding in haste. She started to scrutinize the surroundings for Belphegor's presence.

"Oi, show yourself, you bastard!" Gokudera yelled, getting ready to take out some of his dynamites. Hibari, on the other hand, had his tonfas ready for biting someone to death. Yamamoto was also prepared for a sudden attack.

Ryohei was a different story."This is like a horror movie to the extreme!" He yelled.

Suddenly, the Tsuna whom she was embracing dissipated to a taller blond guy with his bangs hiding his eyes fashionably. Her face suddenly flushed red as she drew her hands off him but he was fast enough to enclose her in his arms.

"The prince announces his presence," he said with the usual grin.

"B-Bel," she stammered, but the atmosphere changed when she realized something. She grabbed his black Varia jacket, pulling his gaze down at her. "Where is Tsuna, you stupid prince?"

Right into the scene, a running Tsuna was on his way to them followed by Reborn and a floating Marmon, whom Belphegor should give thanks for the prevarication. Her little brother was panting so hard when he halted. "Tsuki-nee, where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere."

"She's been here with me, ototo-kun," Belphegor answered which made Tsukiyo to blush further. She was still cuddled in Bel's arms.

"Who's your little brother? Let me go, stupid prince," she said, struggling to get free.

"No way."

"Let go."

_Hey, didn't this happen before? _Her mind asked her. And yeah, it did. Three times so far. In the Varia Headquarters, in the future and 'the present'.

Now that everyone saw them together in such an affectionate manner, they didn't even know what to say.

"Public Display of Affection is not tolerated in Nami-middle, degenerates," Hibari hissed and prepared to attack Belphegor. But before Hibari could even land a hit on Belphegor, the latter carried Tsukiyo bridal style and avoided his hits. He did not let go of Tsukiyo. He wouldn't.

Reborn jumped in the scene though. Sitting on Hibari's shoulders, he talked with him in a voice inaudible to everyone. All they knew was that, Hibari treaded his way inside the school building and was still talking to Reborn, ignoring all of them.

"Stupid prince, you're getting us killed! Let me go!" Tsukiyo yelled at him, trying so hard to repress her all-reddened face and the pounding of her heart.

"_Si, mia principessa," _he spoke, putting her down gently, letting her feet touch the ground.

After settling herself down, Belphegor suddenly pulled her closer. Slowly, his forehead touched hers. She can feel his breathing, and him hers. Time seemed to have slowed down and at that time, Tsukiyo didn't mind those people around them. Their lips were just inches apart. And slowly...

"VOIIII! You effin' wanna-be prince bastard!" That voice destroyed the romantic ambiance between Belphegor and Tsukiyo. Upon realizing how awkward the situation was, he pushed Belphegor causing him to part from her. She couldn't look at him at all with her face all shaded with red.

"Shishishi. You sure know how to ruin a good moment, commandant," Belphegor said and started to ran away grabbing her by her hand. "If I were you, just ran. Don't ask."

"Oi, Belphegor. Why are you running away from Squalo?" Tsukiyo asked anyway in the run but the voice of Squalo calling out to Bel answered the question.

"VOIII! You're dead, you thrash! You were sent here to do a mission, not to date that sister's brat!" Varia's vice commander was chasing them with his swords ready to murder a certain royal blood.

Tsukiyo can't help but laugh. She stopped though when he gaze at her direction but he stared back to the path they were taking. She smiled watching Belphegor as he ran away coolly holding her hands. What surprised her was that he suddenly halted and pulled her closer, kissing her on the lips at that instant.

"_The prince orders you to fall in love with him." _ It echoed inside her mind.

And so she did. With this sadistic prince.


End file.
